India releases suspected spy pigeon after 8 months of detention

On February 1, an official from the RCF Indian police department said that the Bai Sakarbai Dinshaw Petit Veterinary Hospital in the Parel area had asked the police to "release" a pigeon that had been held there for eight months after being accused of being a "Chinese spy".

The pigeon was captured by police in May 2023 at Pir Pau jetty on the outskirts of Chembur. Police said the bird had two rings, one made of copper and one made of aluminum, tied to its legs, with messages written in Chinese characters.

Suspecting that the pigeon was a “spy,” the police sent it to the Bai Sakarbai Dinshaw Petit Veterinary Hospital (BSDPHA). There, the animal underwent a medical examination and was then kept in a separate cage.

The hospital said the bird was perfectly healthy but did not need to be kept in a cage. They asked permission from the RCF Police Department to release it back into the sky but did not receive a proper response.

During the investigation of the case, the police discovered that the animal was a racing pigeon in Taiwan (China) and it escaped and landed in India during a race.

When Saloni Sakaria, an employee of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India, came to know about this strange story, she took action to secure the bird's freedom, contacted the RCF Police Department officials and urged them to immediately grant permission to release the bird from its cage at BSDPHA.

After receiving police approval and completing the procedures, the pigeon was finally released into the sky over the veterinary hospital grounds, amid cheers and applause from a small group of animal lovers.

“We at PETA India would like to express our gratitude to BSDPHA Veterinary Hospital for taking care of the bird over the past several months,” Sakaria said. She also praised the RCF Police Department for quickly responding to PETA’s request and granting permission to BSDPHA to help rescue the poor bird.