It's true.
The feathered creature was caught in May 2023 in the suburbs of Mumbai. It had two rings on its legs, and inscriptions in Chinese were found on the inside of its wings.
The pigeon was suspected of espionage on behalf of China, after which it was sent to a special nursery, and the police began searching for possible "accomplices." During the investigation, it turned out that the pigeon was innocent — it was a wayward participant in bird races in open waters. The suspicions were lifted, the wings were freed... The "suspect" was released after eight months of detention.
This is not the first case where a bird has come under suspicion from the Indian police. In 2020, a pigeon belonging to a Pakistani fisherman was detained, but he was ultimately acquitted and released. In 2016, another pigeon was arrested after a note threatening Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was found on it. In 2013, Indian security forces discovered a dead falcon equipped with a small camera.
