MEERUT, June 24 -- For three days, police in Sambhal district chased dead ends. CCTV footage yielded little, local inquiries produced no breakthrough, and investigators were struggling to identify the person behind the alleged rape of a six-year-old girl. Then Mary arrived. The seven-year-old labrador, part of the district's K-9 unit, followed a scent trail from a 'gamchha' (traditional cotton towel) recovered near the crime scene and led police straight to the house of the accused, providing the clue that cracked the case. Recognising her role in the investigation, Sambhal superintendent of police (SP) Krishan Kumar Bishnoi on Monday rewarded Mary with a cheque of Rs.10,000. The case began on June 18 when a six-year-old girl from a village under Babrala police station went missing after stepping out to play around 5 pm. As panic spread through the family, relatives and villagers launched a search. Nearly two hours later, the child was found unconscious in bushes near a pond, about 200 metres from her home. She was rushed to the Community Health Centre in Gunnaur, while police cordoned off the area and began collecting evidence. The next day, a forensic team combed the scene and recovered a 'gamcha' lying nearby. Investigators examined CCTV footage and questioned residents, but the probe failed to move forward. On June 20, the girl's father filed a complaint against an unidentified person under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act, alleging rape. With no clear suspect in sight, police turned to an investigator with four legs. Mary was brought to the scene on the third day of the investigation. After sniffing the recovered cloth, she picked up a scent and began moving through the village. Officers followed closely as the dog led them nearly 50 metres away to the residence of a man identified as Sandeep. The clue proved crucial. When police reached the house, family members allegedly told them that Sandeep was not there. Investigators, however, intensified their search and launched raids at multiple locations. The hunt ended on the night of June 21. According to police, personnel conducting routine checks on the Babrala-Rajpura road spotted Sandeep. He allegedly attempted to escape and opened fire on the police with a country-made pistol. Police retaliated and injured him in the leg before taking him into custody. Officers said they recovered a .315-bore country-made firearm, one spent cartridge and three live rounds. For Mary, it was another success in a career that has already earned her a reputation among investigators. SP Bishnoi said the labrador, a gold medallist of her training batch, has helped solve several challenging cases in the past, including the murder of a deaf and mute man in Baniyather....