Ramdas (Amritsar): A pigeon from Pakistan
suspected to be on a "spying mission" was caught today near
the Indo-Pak border here, police said here.
The white pigeon carrying a Pakistani phone number and
address on its body besides a rubber ring in its feet was
found by border resident Harbans Lal Saini near his house and
was brought to the police station here, 40 kms from Amritsar.
SHO Police station Ramdas Jagjit Singh Chahal said
that he has informed his superiors who have directed that
nobody should be allowed to visit the pigeon and an update
would be passed to the SSP office atleast thrice in day.
Police suspect that the pigeon, which landed in Indian
territory, may be on "special mission of spying" and might
have been pushed by Pakistan intelligence agency ISI.
The pigeon is being kept in an air conditioned room
which is being guarded by policemen. A medical examination of
the bird was carried out by the doctor from the state animal
husbandry department.
After the recent killing of two Pakistan-based
terrorists in a gunbattle in Gurdaspur district, special
instructions were issued to border inhabitants to report
anything suspicious to the police, the SHO said.
Chahal said he has been asked by his seniors not to
leave the police station or to proceed on leave until the fate
of pigeon was decided.
The number '303-6284620' was written in red on the
pigeon's feathers along with a rubber stamp - Islamabad
Wazirabad-Pakistan.
Chahal said they suspected that the pigeon must have
landed on Indian soil from Pakistan with a message, which has
not be traced so far.
The SHO said that Pakistani pigeon are easily
recognisable as they have a "different look".
"There are five to six families on Indo-Pak border
village that have keen interest in keeping pigeons in their
houses. They have told us about the difference between Indian
and Pakistani birds," he said.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, May 27, 2010, 23:38