Army doctor flies to Bengaluru to join search for dog she rescued in Arunachal hills | Bengaluru News

Bengaluru: A family in Govindarajanagar, Vijayanagar, is eagerly waiting for the return of one of its members — Kalu, an 18-month-old Indie dog rescued from the mountains of Arunachal Pradesh. He went missing on the night of June 28. Three days later, he was spotted near a bar and restaurant in Basaveshwaranagar, around 3km away. However, by the time the family arrived there, Kalu had vanished.Kalu’s owner, Kusuma BH, a govt employee, her daughter Harshita, a doctor with the Indian Army, and son Bharat are making painstaking efforts to trace him. Kusuma has announced a reward of Rs 15,000 for anyone who helps in tracing Kalu. Over 500 handbills, featuring Kalu’s picture and Kusuma’s contact number, have been pasted on walls and distributed among the residents of Basaveshwaranagar, Mahalakshmipuram, Kurubarahalli, JC Nagar and surrounding areas. “Besides, we’ve taken to social media, seeking help from netizens. But as of now, we haven’t heard anything about him,” said Kusuma, who works for the public information office.Interestingly, Kalu was found in the hilly terrain of Arunachal Pradesh. Speaking to TOI, Kusuma said her daughter Harshita found him in Dec 2023. “Harshita was working with the army and camping on a mountain. One day, she found four puppies there. They were weak and suffering from some infections. She brought them to her camp and, with the help of a veterinary doctor, nursed them. Unfortunately, three of the puppies died while Kalu survived,” she said.Harshita and Kalu grew fond of each other. “It was she who named him Kalu during her stay in Arunachal Pradesh,” said Kusuma.Later, Harshita was transferred to Guwahati, and then to Belagavi in Karnataka this year. “Kalu lived with her in Guwahati. However, she found it difficult to look after him in Belagavi. In Nov 2024, Kalu came to our house here,” Kusuma said.According to Kusuma, Kalu goes out for a short walk every night after dinner. “On the night of June 28, he went out but failed to return. Seeing the handbill, a person called us on July 1, saying he had seen Kalu near a bar and restaurant in Basaveshwaranagar. Filled with hope, we rushed to the place, but he had gone by then,” she said. Harshita was in Arunachal Pradesh when Kalu went missing. “We hadn’t told her about Kalu’s disappearance. After searching for two days, I posted his picture in our family WhatsApp group, and Harshita learned about the situation. She took a flight to Bengaluru. I search for Kalu from 5am to 9am, as I have to go to office. But Harshita searches for him all day and returns home late at night,” she said.