# Kukur Tihar 2026: Nepal Police Honor Service Dogs With Garlands and Medals

- URL: https://tamrahnews.com/kukur-tihar-2026-nepal-police-honor/
- Published: 2026-11-09T13:19:26+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-09T13:19:29+00:00
- Author: Tamrah News (https://tamrahnews.com/author/syeda-aliya-shah/)
- Section: Culture
- Topics: Bhotekoshi Floods, Kukur Tihar, Nepal Police, Service Dogs, Tihar Festival
- Publisher: TAMRAH NEWS

> Nepal Police marked Kukur Tihar in Kathmandu by honoring service dogs during the Tihar festival, and Leo, one of the force’s police dogs, received a medal for flood rescue work after the Bhotekoshi floods.

*Handlers at the Canine Office in Kathmandu worshipped their dogs on Sunday, and a Labrador named Leo received a medal for flood rescue work.*

**Tamrah News Desk | November 9, 2026**

Kukur Tihar was marked in Kathmandu on Sunday, November 8, when Nepal Police honored its service dogs with flower garlands, vermilion powder and food offerings on the second day of the Tihar festival, according to ANI as published by [The Tribune](https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/world/tourists-join-kukur-tihar-celebration-in-nepal-as-dogs-get-vip-treatment/). The ceremony recognized police dogs for their role in crime investigation and disaster response, and it came after the deadly Bhotekoshi floods. Read more in our [Tamrah News world coverage.](https://tamrahnews.com/category/world-news/)

## How Nepal Police Marked Kukur Tihar in Kathmandu

ANI reported that service dogs at the Canine Division paraded and showed their skill at finding clues and evidence in criminal cases. Each dog was honoured with garlands, treats, flowers and vermilion powder. The force also gave medals to the best performers in fields such as solving crimes, gathering evidence, aiding search and rescue, and catching narcotics traders, ANI said.

[Onlinekhabar English](https://english.onlinekhabar.com/nepal-police-celebrates-kukur-tihar.html) reported that the programme took place at the Canine Office in Maharajgunj. Police dogs showed how officers search for missing people and track suspects after a murder, and they also ran races and obstacle courses. According to Onlinekhabar, chief guest Deputy Inspector General Om Rana said the dogs have given Nepal Police great help in investigations, rescue work and security. [Nepal News](https://english.nepalnews.com/s/long-reads/kukur-tihar-leos-flood-rescue-service-earns-him-nepal-polices-top-dog-award/) added that Army and Armed Police Force units held similar K9 demonstrations and dog worship the same day.

## Leo Receives the Top Honour for Flood Rescue Work

The medal that drew the most attention went to Leo. [The Kathmandu Post](https://kathmandupost.com/national/2026/11/08/from-flood-hit-areas-to-crime-scenes-nepal-s-police-dogs-sniff-out-vital-clues) reported that the Labrador retriever spent 20 days searching Nuwakot after the Bhotekoshi floods and found two bodies, a human skeleton and several body parts. Deputy Inspector General Rana, acting chief of the Crime Investigation Department, presented the medal. Superintendent of Police Ram Chandra Satyal told the Post,

“Leo performed exceptionally well.”

ANI described the honour as a dog of the year title, while the Post called it the award for outstanding police dog. Nepal News reported that Leo is a five year old male.

## Bhotekoshi Floods Give This Year’s Ceremony Added Meaning

The Bhotekoshi floods struck on August 26. According to the Kathmandu Post, they left nearly 1,500 people dead and more than 5,000 missing. ANI also said more than 5,000 remain missing and noted that dogs from the training school helped find people buried by the floods. Police dogs worked alongside search and rescue personnel in the affected areas, the Post said.

## Tourists Join the Dog Worship in Kathmandu

ANI said foreign tourists joined locals and police in the dog worship at the Canine Division. A visitor named Gerome told ANI,

“It is the first time, and it has been really incredible.”

Another tourist, Jane, said most visitors come to Nepal to climb mountains, but she had come to see the dogs.

## Why Does Nepal Celebrate Kukur Tihar?

The dog worship is part of the Tihar festival, which lasts five days. ANI said dogs are regarded as guardians and messengers of Yama, the lord of death, and receive garlands, bread, vermilion powder and flowers. Pet and stray dogs are worshipped early in the morning.

ANI also pointed to the Mahabharata, in which Yudhishthir refuses to enter heaven without his devoted dog, and to a Rigveda story of Samara, the mother of dogs, helping Indra recover stolen cattle. The [Associated Press](https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/ap-photo-garlands-treats-beloved-dogs-nepals-annual-115344913) reported in 2024 that dogs across Nepal were honored on the day with garlands, treats and vermilion marks.

## What Nepal Police Dogs Do Beyond the Tihar Festival

According to the Kathmandu Post, Nepal Police has 107 trained dogs working in four areas: tracking suspects, detecting firearms and explosives, detecting narcotics, and search and rescue. Dogs trained to detect drugs and explosives also serve at Tribhuvan, Pokhara and Gautam Buddha international airports, and each province has its own canine unit. The force began using dogs in 1969 after sending four officers to Malaysia for training. Some police dogs were trained in Nepal, while others came from India, the United States and Thailand.

The Post also reported limits. A Central Investigation Bureau officer said heavy rain, crowded crime scenes or a route that ends at a river can make scent tracking difficult. On November 3, police handed over a retired Labrador named Beni to Police Sub Inspector Amita Khanal, who paid Rs 5,000 for the dog. For earlier festival coverage, see our Tihar festival reports.

## Conclusion

Kukur Tihar 2026 gave Nepal police dogs a public day of thanks, with Leo the police dog receiving a medal for flood rescue work. The ceremony at the Nepal Police Canine Office combined Kukur Puja rituals with a display of real police skills, and it drew visitors who came to see dog worship in Nepal. Further Tihar festival Nepal coverage will follow as officials share more details.

-[Tamrah News](https://tamrahnews.com/)