A pigeon, previously accused of being a Chinese spy, has been declared innocent by the police and released back into the wild. The bird was taken into custody in May last year near a port in Mumbai when officers discovered two rings on its legs with what seemed to be Chinese characters. Investigators suspected the pigeon of espionage and held it for eight months before sending it to Mumbai’s Bai Sakarbai Dinshaw Petit Hospital for Animals. However, it was later revealed that the bird was a Taiwan open-water racing pigeon that had escaped and flown to India.
Once the truth was uncovered, the police approved the transfer of the bird to the Bombay Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. On Tuesday, doctors at the facility released the wrongly accused bird back into its natural habitat. Throughout history, pigeons have been used in various capacities, including spying and combat. The UK forces employed pigeons during both the First and Second World Wars to deliver messages. Notably, a pigeon named Gustav played a crucial role in conveying the first news of D-Day back to the UK in 1944.
India has also previously detained pigeons over security concerns. In 2020, suspicious police in Indian-controlled Kashmir apprehended a pigeon believed to belong to a Pakistani fisherman. However, an investigation revealed that the bird was not a spy but had simply flown across the border between the two countries. Additionally, in 2016, another pigeon was detained on allegations of carrying a note threatening Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
IMPORTANT WORDS:
- Accused: Charged with a crime or wrongdoing; someone who is formally accused of committing an offense.
- Suspected: Believed to be guilty or to have done something wrong based on available evidence or circumstances.
- Espionage: The act of spying or gathering secret information, especially in the context of national security or political matters.
- Revealed: Made known or disclosed; information or facts that were previously unknown become evident.
- Habitat: The natural environment or surroundings where a particular species of plant or animal normally lives or grows.
- Spying: The act of secretly observing or obtaining information about others, often for strategic or covert purposes.
- Combat: Fighting or engaging in conflict, typically in a military context.
- Detained: Held in custody or temporarily confined, usually by authorities or law enforcement.
- Suspicious: Arousing doubt or mistrust; giving the impression that something may be wrong or illegal.
- Apprehended: Taken into custody or caught by authorities, typically in relation to a suspected crime.
- Allegations: Accusations or assertions that someone has done something wrong or illegal, often without proof.
- Threatening: Expressing a warning of intent to cause harm or danger; suggestive of potential harm or danger.
