Canine Sherlocks: The case of confused criminals

ASP bans sniffer dogs because of misleading identification.

SWAT: The time-tested method of tracing criminals with the help of sniffer dogs failed through a misleading identification, which in turn resulted in the punishment of an innocent man.

Detection of crimes by the detective dogs, was banned by Additional Superintendent Alam Zeb Khan of Khawaza Khela soon after the event. Dawa Khan was convicted, being arrested and imprisoned but later on criminal Ihsanullah confessed of  the same crime. “The police then recovered the stolen stuff from Ihsanullah the real convict. Detective dogs will be completely prohibited in this area to be used for investigative purposes.”

“Police are awake and alert 24 hours and no illegal activity will be tolerated in upper Swat,” he added.

On the other hand the innocent convict, Dawa Khan, who spent two months behind the bars, said, “Two months earlier, some one broke into Hidayatullah’s  house in my neighbourhood, the owner of the house then called the detective dogs to identify the criminals, but being a neighbour, the dog entered our house, so he registered an FIR against me,” he said, adding,“I implored my innocence and a jirga also took my side but they did not listen to us. I am poor and have lost my job and dignity. I want justice.”

Published in The Express Tribune, December 31^st, 2010.