A pigeon detained for 8 months on suspicion of spying for China has finally been set free

• A pigeon accused of spying for China has finally been cleared of suspicion in India.
• It spent eight months in captivity after being found with markings that resembled Chinese characters.
• The pigeon was released by Mumbai authorities on Tuesday, local media and PETA reported.

A pigeon detained in India for eight months was released on Tuesday after police cleared it of suspicions that it was a spy bird for China, the news agency Press Trust of India reported.

The bird was originally caught at a port in Mumbai in May with rings tied to its legs that resembled Chinese characters, the Associated Press reported.

It was taken to the Bai Sakarbai Dinshaw Petit Hospital for Animals because police suspected it was used for spying, per the outlet.

Animal activist organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) said on Thursday that its branch in India helped secure the pigeon's freedom.

"The group learned that in May 2023, police had found the pigeon with an illegible message written on her wings," PETA said in a statement.

PETA contacted police and obtained a certificate for the bird's release, the organization said.

The pigeon was later discovered to be a racing bird from Taiwan that escaped and flew to India, according to the AP.

A Taiwan Pigeon Racing Association spokesperson told Taipei-based daily Taiwan News that while the bird may have flown from the island to India, it's unclear whether the pigeon truly was a racing bird since police didn't release its serial number.

The pigeon was put in custody of the Bombay Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which released the bird after it was checked by veterinarians, per the AP.

Indian authorities have detained other pigeons on similar suspicions before.

One such bird was taken into custody in 2016 after it was found in Kashmir with a note threatening Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Another was detained and x-rayed in 2015 after being captured along the India-Pakistan border with a note in Urdu stamped on its feathers.