Amritsar: In a bizarre turn of events, India’s Border Security Force (BSF) has requested the Khangarh Police Station SHO in Amritsar to register a first information report (FIR) against a pigeon found near the border with Pakistan which was carrying a paper with a Pakistani number on it, according to Indian media.
According to India Today, the black and white pigeon was caught on April 17 after it perched on the shoulder of Constable Niraj Kumar who was on guard duty at a post in Roranwala — 500 metres from the border with Pakistan.
The publication also shared a picture of the request, according to which Kumar “immediately caught the pigeon and informed Post Commander Ompal Singh”. The commander then searched the pigeon and found a paper with a number starting from 0302.
The number was wrapped with adhesive tape on the pigeon’s left leg, the request stated.
The BSF handed the pigeon to the police along with the request to register an FIR. However, Senior Superintendent of Police Dhruv Dahiya said he did not think FIR could be registered against the pigeon as it was a bird, according to a report by The Indian Express.
“We have referred the matter to our legal experts for their opinion,” the report quoted Dahiya as saying.
The official said the number was also being analysed.
Last month, authorities in Indian-occupied Kashmir seized a plane-shaped balloon bearing the name of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).
The balloon featuring the name, logo and livery colours of the national flag-carrier was found in Sotra Chak village of Hiranagar sector. It was initially spotted by locals in the village who informed the police. Authorities then seized the balloon while the matter was being investigated by police.
In 2015, a pigeon was captured by Indian forces for crossing the Indo-Pak border into India’s Pathankot area.
Last year in May, BSF claimed to have captured another “Pakistani spy pigeon” and handed it over to police in occupied Kashmir. A Pakistani villager later said he was the owner of the pigeon and refuted the allegation of it being “a spy or a terrorist”. Dawn
