Pigeon Cleared of Spying Charges After 8 Months in Indian Custody

After an extraordinary eight-month investigation by Indian police, a pigeon detained on suspicions of espionage has been released. The bird, which was apprehended at a Mumbai port displaying messages in a script resembling Chinese, sparked concerns of espionage, leading to its custody, as reported by the Times of India.

Initially facing spying allegations, the pigeon was confined within a local hospital, subject to a meticulous police investigation. The probe, described as “astonishing” by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India in a statement released on Thursday (Feb 1), concluded with the authorities deciding to drop all charges against the avian suspect.

With the investigation wrapped up, PETA India announced that the police had officially authorized the hospital to free the pigeon on Wednesday. According to local news outlets, the bird was seen in good health as it took flight upon its release.