SRI GANGANAGAR, Rajasthan – A pigeon that was captured earlier this week after “infiltrating” India from across the international border escaped the police custody before flying back into Pakistan.
It had taken two hours for the police in Sriganganagar district, situated near borders of Rajasthan and Punjab states and the international border of India and Pakistan, to nab the pigeon which carried a tag with “5547 Janbaz Khan” and a phone number.
Intelligence agencies were briefed after the pigeon was put in custody.
The bird reportedly managed to escape due to the negligence of the Srivijaynagar police. The police claim the bird managed to escape when the head constable opened the cage out of curiosity, The Indian Express reported.
“Authorities have been alerted,” the newspaper quoted its sources as saying.
In the past, numerous birds – including falcons – have been captured after raising 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 few of the many examples.
