A “spy” pigeon, which was caught earlier this week in Punjab, has escaped. (File Photo) A “spy” pigeon, which was caught earlier this week in Punjab, has escaped. (File Photo)

A pigeon that was captured earlier this week after “infiltrating” India from across the international border escaped on Wednesday afternoon. The bird reportedly managed to escape due to the negligence of the police in Srivijaynagar segment in Sriganganagar district, Punjab. The police claim the bird managed to escape when the head constable opened the cage out of curiosity, The Tribune reported. The pigeon is said to have flown back towards the neighbouring country. Authorities have been alerted.

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The police took two hours to nab the pigeon, which carried a tag with “5547 Janbaz Khan” and a phone number, sources informed The Tribune. Intelligence agencies were briefed after the pigeon was put in custody.

In the past, numerous birds — falcons included — have been captured which have raised suspicions among the authorities. The pigeon “apprehended” near the border in Amritsar in 2010, one hunted by villagers in Pathankot in 2015 and a white-coloured pigeon with “suspected Pakistani links” again caught in Pathankot are examples.

“The brains of such high flying birds are tuned in a manner that they remember their loft. She could have flown and crossed back to Pakistan,” said Pathankot-based bird lover Ramanjeet Singh, who had once been handed a pigeon by police. Read more about what he had to say, here.

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