A CRPF dog accompanying troops during an anti-Naxal patrol in the Sukma district of Chhattisgarh has been seriously injured in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast, officials said on Thursday.

The three-year-old Endro, a male Belgian Shepherd infantry patrol dog, suffered a fracture in the right leg during the blast that took place around 1:30 pm on Wednesday near the Chhinagelur village in the district.

The canine is safe. He saved the lives of the troops of the ‘Alpha’ company of the 229th battalion who were undertaking a patrol in the area as part of an anti-Naxal operation, a senior officer of the force said.

Endro is trained to detect explosives and ambushes and it can also undertake assault operations, he said.

Officials said the canine soldier is being provided medical care at a facility in nearby Bijapur district.

The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and other security forces extensively use dogs, trained for sniffing IEDs and booby traps, for operations in the Left Wing Extremism-affected regions of various states.

The central force has lost four dogs of its ‘K9’ (canine) unit in operations till now while few of them have suffered injuries.