The Nalgonda district police on Sunday bid farewell to one of their most trusted investigators, not in uniform but on four legs. Pinky, a tracker dog whose nose for crime-solving made her a legend in the force, died after a brief illness.For nearly 12 years, Pinky was more than just a member of the Dog Squad, she was a vital colleague.Trained at Integrated Intelligence Training Academy (IITA) in Moinabad in 2014 under handler Nagaraju, where she even won a gold medal for her sharp skills, Pinky went on to crack some of the most challenging cases in the region. “From sniffing out clues in the gruesome Bottuguda dismemberment case to helping track suspects in a ₹1.40 crore theft at a function hall, her nose often got to the truth before any human could,” said the SP of the district, Sharat Chandra Pawar.“In Gundala mandal, when a murder victim was found dumped in a well, Pinky’s search led police straight to the killer’s doorstep. She was unmatched in crime detection, relentless once she caught a scent, and stood as the backbone of many of our investigations,” said the officer.On Sunday, officers gathered with garlands as Additional SP Ramesh led the funeral ceremony. Pinky’s body was honoured in the same way a fallen officer would be, draped with respect and saluted for her service. Her handler Nagaraju, who spent years by her side, was among those who fought back emotion as colleagues remembered her not just as a tracker but as family.Officers from Nalgonda police conducting final rites of Jagilam Pinky, a tracker dog who served the district police for nearly 12 years. | Photo Credit: By ArrangementAR DSP Srinivasulu, RI Santosh, RSI Rajiv, Dog Squad staff Karunakar, Sampath, Satish, Gopal, Mahendra, and Naresh joined others in paying their respects. The last rites were conducted with full official honours.Published - August 17, 2025 06:30 pm IST