A pigeon, suspected of espionage and detained in a veterinary hospital in India for the past eight months, was finally released after authorities dropped the spying charges, according to a police official on Wednesday.
The Bai Sakarbai Dinshaw Petit Hospital for Animals in Parel sought permission from the police on Monday to release the bird, and it was set free on Tuesday, an official from the RCF (Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers) police station said.
The pigeon was captured in May last year at Pir Pau Jetty in suburban Chembur by the RCF police, sparking suspicions of its alleged role as a Chinese spy.
“The bird had two rings – one of copper and another of aluminium – tied to its leg, along with messages written in a Chinese-like script on the underside of both its wings,” revealed the police.
The RCF police initially registered a case, but after completing their inquiry, they dropped the spying charges. It was discovered during the investigation that the pigeon had a history of participating in racing events at open waters in Taiwan.
The pigeon, during one racing event, flew out of the country and unexpectedly landed in India, the official explained.
The decision to release the pigeon came after the hospital obtained a “no objection” from the police, indicating that the bird’s medical condition was satisfactory.
“The pigeon’s medical condition was fine, and with the conclusion of our investigation, it was deemed appropriate to release the bird,” the official mentioned.
