CRPF conducts last rites of K9 Rolo, sniffer dog killed in anti-Naxal operation

SUKMA (Chhattisgarh): The CRPF on Friday conducted the last rites of a two-year-old Belgian Shepherd named K9 Rolo, who was part of the force’s elite canine squad.

Rolo lost her life after being attacked by a swarm of bees during a major anti-Naxal operation in Karreguttalu hills on the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border. She was declared dead on April 27, with the cause of death being anaphylactic shock following 200 bee stings.

K9 Rolo, born on 05/04/2023, was trained in infantry patrolling, explosive detection and assault at DBTS in batch Sl. No. 80, subsequent to which it was deployed for anti-Naxal duties in 228 Bn, CRPF in the month of April 2024.

During the special operation at KGH, while K9 Rolo, along with other troops, were carrying out an intensive search operation, a sudden attack by a huge swarm of honey bees took them by surprise. Handlers of K9 Rolo covered it with a polythene sheet to avoid being bitten by the bees, but it went in vain as the huge swarm of bees slipped inside the cover and bit K9 Rolo who then, due to intense pain and irritation, got berserk and got out of the cover making him vulnerable to more bites, said the CRPF.

#WATCH | CRPF personnel conduct last rites of K9 Rolo of 228 Bn in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh. The 2-year-old Rolo was declared dead on 27 April 2025, with the cause of death being anaphylactic shock following 200 bee stings.

Rolo and her handler were attacked by a swarm of… pic.twitter.com/qepVCLmcz9

— ANI (@ANI) May 16, 2025

Resultantly, K9 Rolo suffered around 200 bee stings, which made it unconscious. An immediate medical evacuation was performed. Emergency treatment was given by the handlers. However, K9 Rolo succumbed to the pain and suffering while on the way and was declared brought dead by the veterinarian, said the CRPF.

To achieve the goal of eliminating Naxalism by March 26, 2026, the security forces have been conducting the biggest ever operation, ‘Operation Black Forest’ to break the backbone Naxals near Karreguttalu Hill (KGH) at the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border.

The 21-day long operation carried out by the joint forces of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and state police between April 21 to May 11 neutralised 31 Naxals carrying a bounty of Rs 1.72 crore. (ANI)