Indian police release pigeon suspected as Chinese spy after eight months in bird jail

A pigeon, suspected of being a Chinese spy, has been released by Indian police after spending eight months in bird jail.

The bird was captured in Mumbai in May 2023 with two rings tied to its legs, carrying words that looked like Chinese.

Police suspected it was involved in espionage and took it in, later sending it to an animal hospital to be held.

Following an investigation, it turned out the pigeon was an open-water racing bird from Taiwan that had escaped and made its way to India.

With police permission, the bird was transferred to the Bombay Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, whose doctors set it free on Tuesday.

It is not the first time a bird has come under police suspicion in India.

In 2020, police in Indian-controlled Kashmir released a pigeon belonging to a Pakistani fisherman after a probe found that the bird, which had flown across the heavily militarised border between the nations, was not a spy.

In 2016, another pigeon was taken into custody after it was found with a note that threatened Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know...