Two therapy dogs, Goldie and Heidi, have been brought in to help officers of the Government Railway Police (GRP) overcome trauma from the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. The therapy involves playing games with the dogs, which are trained to provide unconditional love and compassion. This animal-assisted therapy aims to help the officers reduce stress and better cope with memories and loss from the attacks. Strict security measures are also being taken for the upcoming trial of 26/11 terrorist Mohammad Ajmal Amir Qasab due to threats to his life from terrorist groups and criminal networks.

1. CITY M U M B A I M I R R O R | M O N DAY, M A R C H 1 6 , 2 0 0 9 4
D Company
Paws for a cause
Two therapy dogs have been roped in to help GRP men overcome 26/11 trauma
targets
Khalistani
prisoners
NILESH NIKADE tims and has initiated a blog The therapy dogs are trained to PA G E 1
helpline for them, says: “Like disas- give unconditional love and to The convicts — all devout Sikhs
G
overnment Railway Police ter management, we also need to be compassionate towards their — were offended by the con-
officers who are finding it develop the concept of emotional subjects. In picture: Heidi, one of version offer and appealed to
tough to cope with the disaster management. Animal as- the therapy dogs the gurudwaras for help. Some
trauma of the November sisted therapy is part of it.” of the gurudwara office-bearers
26 attacks will now have a helping GRP Commissioner A K later got in touch with state au-
hand…er, paw. The city-based Ani- Sharma said with grati- thorities. Minister of State for
mal Angels Foundation will use two tude, “I am glad that Home, Nitin Raut, said the ter-
specially-trained therapy dogs to society is concerned rorists' letter has triggered po-
help the officers overcome their about policemen’s lice investigation into the ac-
grief, as part of a treatment called health and we are tivities of Dawood's men in jails
animal-assisted therapy. encouraging our across the state. “The matter is
“We analysed various problems men to attend these currently being investigated at
faced by policemen post-26/11. sessions regularly.” the highest level,” Raut told
They are finding it difficult to cope The sessions will Mumbai Mirror.
with the memories of the attacks commence from Satur- The convicts — Amarjeet
and the loss of their colleagues. A day at the GRP headquar- Singh Kartar Singh Mann, Bal-
few have admitted that it is affect- ters, Wadi Bunder. raj Singh Gurbax Singh and Sar-
ing their work and they are no more jeet Singh Bhabha Singh — are
able to concentrate. Others say they all lodged in Cell Number 5/2
constantly live with fear in their of Kalamba Jail. Though details
minds,” says Minal Lonkar, a vol- of the cases leading to their jail
unteer with the organisation. terms are not known, authori-
With this in mind, the Founda- ties said the three have been
tion has designed a tailor-made pro- convicted for life in a murder
gramme for cops, which involves case in the state during the
playing various games with golden Khalistan movement in the ear-
retrievers Goldie and Heidi. “The ly 1990s. They have challenged
therapy dogs are trained to give un- their life terms in a higher
conditional love and to be compas- Goldie court. “The three said that they
sionate towards their subjects. With were contacted by a jail inmate
them, the cops will be able to put who had seen them desperate-
aside their stress. Then, we will in-
WHAT IS ANIMAL-ASSISTED THERAPY? ly seeking legal aid to fight their
troduce lectures for motivation and The therapy is used to help patients deal with emo- cases.
overcoming grief,” explained tional, behavioural problems using therapy animals The inmate claimed to be a
Lonkar. as part of treatment. It helps in speeding up the Dawood gang member and of-
The idea of having the pro- process of recovery.Trained therapy animals can also fered them help with legalities,
gramme was kick-started by activist assist a medical service professional to motivate and if they agreed to the two condi-
Harish Iyer, who coordinated be- help a child or an adult learn/improve various skills tions,” said a senior Mantralaya
tween Animal Angels and the rail- official on condition of
sets – social, verbal, physical and cognitive.
way police. Iyer, who has been ac- anonymity. Sources said the of-
tive in gathering help for 26/11 vic- fer was made a month ago.
“The letter proves that the Da-
wood gang has made inroads in
Police ban journalists’
An officer shows a pen gun state jails. It is alarming that the
at the CID Headquarters, gang is recruiting terrorists
part of a huge arms racket now,” said a senior jail official
uncovered in January who did not wish to be named.
The police too are highly con-
cerned that the D-gang has ap-
‘weapon’ at Qasab trial
proached convicted Khalistani
terrorists. Along with jail au-
thorities, they are now screen-
ing all inmates of Kalamba Jail
to segregate known Dawood
men and identify those who
Afraid that someone could carry a gun disguised as a pen, crime branch may be discreetly working for
the gang.
plans to ban reporters from carrying pens to court during the terrorist’s trial
AKELA police have also moved many
of Dawood’s henchmen and
guard him, apart from an equal
number of CRPF personnel.
city brief
I
t is said that a pen is a jour- associates, apart from other
POLICE TO USE CCTV
nalist’s greatest weapon. hardened criminals, out of STRINGENT SECURITY FOOTAGE TO TRACE MAN
Fearing that this might be Arthur Road Jail (where Qasab
used to attack arrested terrorist is lodged) and transported I Police plan to allow only one WHO THREATENED TEEN
Mohammad Ajmal Amir them to Taloja Jail. journalist from each media or- The GRP will sift through
Qasab, the Mumbai crime Joint Commissioner of Po- ganisation to attend the pro- CCTV) footage to trace the man
branch is planning to ban re- lice (crime) Rakesh Maria said ceedings who allegedly threatened a 17-
porters from bringing in pens, that there was a threat to I The crime branch has decid- year-old girl on Friday forcing
or even paper, inside court Qasab’s life and cops could not ed to issue special identity her to jump off a moving train
premises during Qasab’s trial. branch had seized 60 pen guns take any chances. cards to reporters, after proper at Lower Parel, police said. “We
Instead, journalists will be pro- from a businessmen related to accreditation on the recom- have asked the victim to go
vided with pencils and paper the 'D' gang. NO ROOM FOR ERRORS mendation of their company through the CCTV footage to
by the police once they step in- Intelligence agencies have LEFT IN THIS TRIAL I Cops have decided not to al- identify the man who threat-
side the court. warned cops that terrorists, in Police have beefed up security low outside broadcasting (OB) ened her. As per her complaint,
Sources said that police fear collusion with the ISI, could for the trial, expected to start on vans, belonging to TV channels, the girl had boarded the train at
that someone could use pen try to kill Qasab as he is the March 23. The government has to be parked outside the jail. Dadar railway station. We have
guns to kill Qasab. Two years only link between the Novem- already spent nearly Rs 5 crore Police believe that with so CCTV footage of Dadar and
ago, Juhu police seized a pen ber 26 attacks and Pakistan. on Qasab's security, which in- many channels, the vehicles Mumbai Central stations,” B
gun from Rajesh Kondiba Pan- They said that ISI could use the cludes a bomb-proof corridor could pose a security risk.Thus, Rane, senior PI GRP police sta-
chal, a close associate of Fahim network of Dawood Ibrahim leading to the court from television channels will have to tion at Mumbai Central said.
Machmach (one of Dawood's and other Pakistani militants, Qasab's cell at the jail. About 150 park their vehicles far away “However, she has not yet
close associates). Sources said operating in India, for the job. Indo-Tibetan Border Police com- from the jail agreed to examine the footage,”
that in 1991-92 the crime Acting on these warnings mandos have been deputed to the officer added.