In the heavy underbrush of Karegutta Hills, on the unstable Chhattisgarh-Telangana border, disaster struck on April 27 when Rolo, a two-year-old K9 with CRPF’s 228 Battalion, succumbed to anaphylactic shock after a swarm of honey bees pounced on her during a special operation. Rolo and her handler, Constable Shubham Gajanan, were returning from the duty post when the fateful episode happened.
To Gajanan, “Canines are taken to us when they are just 21 days old. It is the handler’s job to look after them and also train them. There is an emotional bond and rapport between the canine and the handler.” Rolo was not only trained; she excelled. Ranked as the second-best dog in the unit, she showed her worth in several key operations by detecting IEDs and navigating troops through hazardous routes.
#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
Duty Until Her Last Breath
During April 22-25, Rolo labored in difficult conditions. Her final act of service was when she ventured into an area closed to troops, where she was attacked by bees. Although she received immediate first aid, Rolo died due to the stings on her way to a medical center. The price—over 200 bee stings—proved to be too overwhelming.
Constable Gajanan said, “We never thought of Rolo as a dog but as a soldier. She performed extremely well and saved the soldiers. When a war dog dies, it is like a soldier has died.”
A Nation Salutes Its Four-Legged Hero
CRPF personnel performed the last rites of Rolo with all honors in Sukma, a symbolic action which speaks volumes about the immense respect the force has for its K9 war dogs. Rolo’s work and valour serve to underscore the comparatively underappreciated role that service dogs play in India’s internal security setup.
Her passing is not merely the loss of a dog, but the loss of a warrior who patrolled on the frontlines. In remembering Rolo, we pay tribute to the valor, sacrifice, and devotion of all unheralded canine heroes in uniform.
