The bird is still being held in custody, listed as a 'suspected spy'

Police had the intruder X-rayed but found nothing unusual

With a wire-like object on its body and a mysterious stamped message on its tail, it's no wonder the bird had security services in a flap.

A pigeon was been arrested and jailed in India on suspicion of being a 'spy' after it landed in Manwal village, around two and a half miles from the Pakistan border.

It was discovered on Wednesday by a 14-year-old boy whose suspicions were aroused when he spotted a stamped message in Urdu on its tail that read 'Tehsil Shakargarh, district Narowal', along with some numbers.

A pigeon was been arrested and jailed in India on suspicion of being a 'spy' after it landed in Manwal village, around two and a half miles from the Pakistan border (file image)

This is an area Pakistan's Punjab province.

The boy ran with the bird to the nearest police post, with officers agreeing that the bird could be up to no good.

They had the avian intruder X-rayed at a veterinary hospital in Pathankot.

Pathankot senior superintendent of police Rakesh Kaushal told The Times Of India: 'Nothing adverse has been found, but we have kept the bird in our custody.'

The bird was listed in police records as a 'suspected spy', according to the newspaper.

Earlier this year ISIS militants reportedly captured at least 15 pigeon breeders in Iraq after deciding it is against Islamic religion to keep birds.

Three of those held by the group in the eastern province of Diyala were reportedlykilled, according to a security official.

Abu Abdullah, a farmer, said a total of six gunmen barged into his home and dragged away his 21-year-old son.

Earlier this year ISIS militants reportedly captured at least 15 pigeon breeders in Iraq after deciding it is against Islamic religion to keep birds

Mr Abdullah's son is just one of the 15 young men – all aged between 16 and 22 – who have reportedly been captured in the province for breeding birds.

Pigeon breeding is a popular hobby in the region, but it is said to be frowned upon by extremist Islamist fighters because they believe it is a distraction from worshipping Allah.

Mr Abdullah, 52, said he was standing beside his son when ISIS militants stormed the family home and kidnapped his son.

He told NBC News: 'I asked them why and they said: 'He is not following the real Islam, he must be punished for being a pigeon breeder. This habit is taking him away from worshiping Allah.'

'I begged them again to know where are they taking him, what are they going to do to him. They said he is going to be taken to be judged according to the Islamic Sharia.

'They pushed me, and when my son tried to stop them from pushing me they beat him. Then they put him inside the car and left.'

He said the militants also scoured the house for pigeons before rounding up the birds, dumping them in bags and burning them.