Pakistan-trained 'spy' pigeon captured near border

No exchange of Eid sweets at India, Pakistan border A pigeon, suspected to be trained in Pakistan for spying and wearing a ring with alphabets and numbers written on it, was captured by locals of Manyari village near the India-Pakistan international border in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said on Monday.

According to the border police, the villagers have handed over the pigeon to the officials and an investigation has been initiated in the matter.

"We don't know where the bird has come from. It was caught near the fence on our side. We have found a ring on the bird's feet. There are some numbers written on the ring," Senior Superintendent of Police of Kathua, Shailendra Misra told ANI in Kathua on Monday.

He said that the police is examining where the bird has come from and what the alphabets and numbers on the ring mean.

"There is an operations group in Jammu which takes care of these cases (related to infiltration). They have been intimated about the development. They are also looking into the matter," Misra said.

Birds allegedly being used for the purpose of espionage have been seized in Jammu and Kashmir in the past.

Amid tensions due to Pakistan sponsoring cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, Border Security Force (BSF) on Monday did not send sweets to Pakistan Rangers at the Wagah Border on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr.