'Spy pigeon' detained in India after crossing border from Pakistan
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PATHANKOT: A pigeon which crossed the Indo-Pak border into India's Pathankot area was captured and detained for being a 'suspected spy' on Thursday, according to a report published on The Times of India website.
The development comes two days after India's Intelligence Bureau (IB) issued an alert to the Punjab Police regarding suspected militant activity in the area.
A stamped message and a wire-like object on the 'intruder', which landed on a mud-and-brick house in Manwal village situated four kilometers from the Indo-Pak border, raised suspicions of the security agencies in India.
The TOI report said that a part of the message stamped on the bird was in Urdu, while the numbers appeared to be that of a phone in Pakistan's Narowal district.
The 14-year-old son of the house owner, where the bird had landed, became sceptical upon noticing the markings in Urdu on the bird and rushed it to the nearest police station.
The bird was taken to a veterinary doctor where it underwent an x-ray and medical examination.
"Nothing adverse has been found, but we have kept the bird in our custody," TOI quoted Pathankot Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Rakesh Kaushal as saying.
"This is a rare instance of a bird from Pakistan being spotted here. We have caught a few spies here. The area is sensitive, given its proximity to Jammu, where infiltration is quite common," he added.
Although no case has been registered at the Bamiyal police station, an entry was made which termed the bird as a 'suspected spy', the details of which were also sent to the Border Security Force and IB.
The incident comes a few month after a similar incident was reported on the Indian side of the Indo-Pak border. Another pigeon had also been detained by Indian authorities in 2011.
No significant development was reported.
In December 2011, a monkey had crossed from India into Pakistan's Bahawalpur district which was captured by wildlife officials. The monkey was taken to Bahawalpur Zoo, where officials named him Bobby, according to a report on NDTV website.
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Comments (91) Closed
May 29, 2015 12:05pm
..... and that we call "The fear factor" I can only sympathies with our Indian friends.
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May 29, 2015 12:06pm
Funny beyond description. I laughed throughout while reading the item.
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May 29, 2015 12:07pm
LOL.
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May 29, 2015 12:07pm
This is the start and now they will capture sparrows, crows, parrots etc., so be careful all the birds. LOL.
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May 29, 2015 12:08pm
Lets send some more birds to keep them engaged!
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May 29, 2015 12:20pm
Hilariously funny. Thanks India for making us laugh in these stressful times. A comedy of errors.
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May 29, 2015 12:24pm
Its a plane, no its a UFO, no its a bird...a super bird, hilarious!!!. I think the Idea was to turn the intelligence into some sorts of skeptically suspicious of the bird. Result is achieved...
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May 29, 2015 12:27pm
This is really funny. Might be a peace/love dove sent by the village folk with the phone number written in urdu. Hilarious though.
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May 29, 2015 12:27pm
So any animal that crosses into India from Pakistan is termed as a spy..
This news just made my day :P
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May 29, 2015 12:28pm
Are you being serious? I know pigeons were used in the 1st and 2nd World Wars, it probably belongs to a Pigeon Fancier, they always put a tag on their own birds in case they get lost.
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May 29, 2015 12:29pm
Pigeons are associated wit peace and love, Indians has turned them into spies...not good omen.
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May 29, 2015 12:34pm
Drama after drama but every time failed to prove.
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May 29, 2015 12:36pm
@N.S The pigeon flew from Pakistan into India.
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May 29, 2015 12:38pm
Lolz...our neighbours are getting crazy these days..
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May 29, 2015 12:48pm
Birds or animals have no political boundary to restrict their movement. At the same time, bird/animal can not read and write any language. If some inscripts found on the birds and animals crossing the border is an act of spying or terrorism or an illegal intention of the master...
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May 29, 2015 12:48pm
Well done Indian army and intelligence agencies of India. Because of this level of cautiousness we have minimized terror attacks and militant activities in our country. We are not interested to be counted in the list of such countries where human life have no value and terrorist activities occur on daily basis.
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May 29, 2015 12:51pm
As an Indian, i am myself laughing n feeling a bit embarrassed :p
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May 29, 2015 12:52pm
@N.S unfortunately even these pigeons have been used so many times...i know its hard to believe ...but its fact ,,from both sides ...
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May 29, 2015 12:55pm
We could have just sent an sms!
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May 29, 2015 12:56pm
@Muhammad Who knows the other neighbor's can do more harm than good.
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May 29, 2015 12:57pm
@N.S In past, They were used as messenger also
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May 29, 2015 12:57pm
@Saeed Ditto brother . A few years ago, the Indians caught a camel which was reported by Indian Media to be "an ISI agent." I am serious .
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May 29, 2015 12:58pm
@Muhammad Let's wait for spy cows !
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May 29, 2015 12:59pm
reminds me of the 90s bollywood song "kabooter ja ja ja". lolz
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May 29, 2015 01:02pm
Oh my god! Why is India obsessed with Pakistan? They must love Pakistan!
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May 29, 2015 01:03pm
@N.S you're thinking of doves, not pigeons.
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May 29, 2015 01:06pm
Just a pigeon made their security flutter. Our neighbor is just Hilarious......
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May 29, 2015 01:08pm
Epic espionage story !
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May 29, 2015 01:16pm
Instead of keeping an eye on pigeons, monkey, goat and camel it would be better if they concentrate on hunger, poverty, and women's safety issues..
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May 29, 2015 01:47pm
Isn't it going a bit overboard.
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May 29, 2015 01:47pm
@Tayyab , It would be better if you act on what you preach here.
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May 29, 2015 01:53pm
WOW!!! another masterpiece by NFP!! but i think this time you've actually hurt our neighbors. this is a direct attack on their intelligence!
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May 29, 2015 02:04pm
RAW is using pigeons In Baluchistan too. old and best way to communicate where lack of technology exists
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May 29, 2015 02:15pm
@N.S Really? you don't know difference between a dove and pigeon?
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May 29, 2015 02:22pm
@Dr. Sadaf please note that this is a serious matter of state security. The world has taken a u turn from modern ways of espionage and communication and going for Good old pigeons. We must be having some good trainers.
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May 29, 2015 02:24pm
Dear Indians,
LOL.
Thank you.
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May 29, 2015 02:48pm
Hahahaha Hahahaha!!
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May 29, 2015 02:55pm
hahahahaha xD epic great LOL
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May 29, 2015 03:02pm
I love it. Never a dull moment in this part of the world.
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May 29, 2015 03:20pm
LOL! A spy pigeon carrying a Pakistani number to call ... whoever did this prank is genius!
What next? Message in the bottle in Indian sea captured by Indian Navy?
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May 29, 2015 03:57pm
In WW2 animals were used as spies effectively.
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May 29, 2015 04:01pm
I am sure our neighbors would have done the same had they caught an Indian pigeon near a border town. There has been a history of routing messages through pigeons in the past. The title of the news does sound funny but even if there is a iota of a chance of spying through birds/other objects countries should take the matter serious.
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May 29, 2015 04:19pm
@Seriously Doves and pigeons carry a similar symbolism.
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May 29, 2015 05:13pm
@SANJEEV KUMAR YADAV - That was in WW1 to be precise and a piece of nostalgia perhaps - modes of communication are much more sophisticated now though!
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May 29, 2015 05:51pm
Will the pigeon be represented by a lawye? If it can't afford one will the Indian government provide one?
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May 29, 2015 06:03pm
I cant stop laughing at the Indian reaction hahahahahah.
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May 29, 2015 06:11pm
Ahhhhhahahaha, my God these Indians are good at making a joke of themselves for others to laugh at them.
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May 29, 2015 07:10pm
Reminds me of the short story 'The Dog of Tetwal' by Sadat Hasan Manto saab
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May 29, 2015 07:23pm
Simple solution visa for everyone.
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May 29, 2015 07:25pm
@Harmony-1 But modern modes of communication could be easily intercepted that's why miscreant could used pigeons. Who knows? It is good to be little vigilant than to be sorry.
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May 29, 2015 07:56pm
Ha ha ha: Hilarious
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May 29, 2015 08:19pm
This is what I call news.......loved it.
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May 29, 2015 08:50pm
I remember watching an wonderful Indian movie (Border?) starring Kareena Kapoor, which had a beautiful song penned by Javed Akhtar Sb. The lyrics were something like "Panchi, Daryaa, Pawan kay jhonkaay....
Sarhad Insaanon kay liyeh hai..."
Can't believe now even birds (Panchi) face 'border-restrictions' and suspicions!!
Sad times, indeed! :-(
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May 29, 2015 09:34pm
So the minister will say (after blaming Pakistan) that the pigeon was harmless
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May 29, 2015 09:47pm
I wonder why aren't they serious about flies and mosquitoes that cross border all the time?
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May 29, 2015 09:53pm
Ever hear of Messenger pigeon? With terrorist's telecom devices recently removed from cell towers why not?
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May 29, 2015 09:58pm
Pathetic losers, Poor bird.
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May 29, 2015 10:05pm
Poor bird must be getting a grilling. ;-)
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May 29, 2015 10:13pm
Our Pakistani friends are finding doubting a pigeon as funny while knowing that they have been used in past to send messages across.
Also forgetting that China scanned all pigeons when it had its national prade. Countries who are serious about their security will go to any extent to safeguard it.
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May 29, 2015 10:16pm
You cannot make these things up. And that country has a space program and nuclear weapons.
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May 29, 2015 10:19pm
Just fit the pigeon with a GPS tracking device, then release it. The pigeon should fly straight back to its place of origin, then you'll have the exact coordinates of individuals responsible.
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May 29, 2015 10:37pm
@Nikhil go to sleep.
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May 29, 2015 10:42pm
People find it funny but fact is that in the age of electronic surveillance it is safest way to get the message to your own assets across the border. Osama too used human couriers to avoid electronic surveillance. I am however surprised that Indian forces took it seriously and did a good job.
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May 29, 2015 10:47pm
@Saad Welcome
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May 29, 2015 10:47pm
@PAK_1 Thanks for you sympathies...surely appreciate it.
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May 29, 2015 10:48pm
It reminds of ancient times....damn funny.....
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May 29, 2015 11:08pm
No one needs a pigeon for transmitting messages anymore. Any phone number may belong to the owners to help identify his bird. Indians should promptly release the bird.
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May 29, 2015 11:18pm
For those laughing, box cutters available at any hardware store in the US were used for hijacking and doing 9/11. Don't think any one would've thought of that before that episode? Now do we laugh at TSA not allowing even toothpaste in their checks?
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May 30, 2015 12:38am
@Muhammad Nope, look self further and you will be able to alter your statement !!!
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May 30, 2015 12:57am
These idiots would not even allow birds and animals to live in peace.
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May 30, 2015 12:59am
All sympathies with Indian's
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May 30, 2015 12:59am
Pakistanis should protest the inhumane treatment of these new types of POW and demand instant release. The animals and bird rights agencies of the UN should be consulted to stop these activities, and we have to make sure that the hungry soldiers have not treated these pigeons as their meal.
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May 30, 2015 01:07am
Lol...detained a pigeon,next would be crows and diffrent type of birds.Best job for indian soldiers..
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May 30, 2015 01:07am
@AbraKeDabra no brother Pakistan is busy with so many serious problems so for me this news is so hilarious about the crazy attitude of Indian government..
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May 30, 2015 01:40am
There are some encryption techniques that are extremely easy to use and extremely hard ie (breaking the encryption requires more time than the life of the universe) that pigeons are almost useless nowadays for data transmission but still it was very interesting to see india. Reaction
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May 30, 2015 01:42am
We want our Pigeon back!
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May 30, 2015 01:43am
I am Indian but tell you the truth, In India there is no shortage of stupid peoples, it is fullllllllllllllllll.
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May 30, 2015 01:55am
dear pakistani friends..yeah fine with ur laughs but it is termed 'spy' bec it had urdu written paper and small camera on it..
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May 30, 2015 02:00am
They were airing this news on TV and I was laughing throughout especially at the part where one Pakistani is claiming the pigeon is his and a DNA can be done to prove it !
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May 30, 2015 02:05am
This is hilarious, they have even carried out an ultrasound and x ray of the pigeon, what is the world coming to.
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May 30, 2015 03:02am
couple of ants crossed indian border yesterday as well...did you see them!!
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May 30, 2015 04:08am
@Khabchu
Not stupid but funny!
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May 30, 2015 04:53am
Nice, even suspicious pigeons can't cross over without checks. Way to go.
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May 30, 2015 04:55am
@point of view But the people who sent it and the those who receive it can read. Heard of courier pigeons. This may be a stretch, but better safe than sorry.
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May 30, 2015 04:57am
@Tayyab There are others in the administration who take care of hunger and other social welfare. The security agencies job is to ensure borders are protected and no filth gets in.
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May 30, 2015 05:53am
Pigeon is innocent. We demand fair trial!
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May 30, 2015 05:56am
@Faceless ; Pigeon demands free trial… Innocent until proven guilty!
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May 30, 2015 07:30am
Poor pigeon. LOL
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May 30, 2015 08:10am
i hope the Indian police concentrate on terrorists
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May 30, 2015 09:11am
Indians have to prepare a special force to look after pigeons, camels, spiders etc :p
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May 30, 2015 09:47am
I love the story of the monkey who migrated to Pakistan. Let's keep sending these goodwill ambassadors across the border.
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