Representational picture. (Thinkstock)
A pigeon drinking water from a tank in Gujarat's Salaya Essar Jetty. Nothing remarkable about that. Except this bird wore a metal ring on one leg. On the other, it wore a chip-like object. What followed was a hue and cry among the state's security agencies that reached Delhi within a week.
The chip-like object and the ring raised suspicion of espionage or reconnaissance for a possible terror attack, sources said. And the security guards at the under construction Salaya Bulk Terminal, who observed the bird on March 20, promptly handed it over to the Coast Guard.
The Coast Guard took the bird to the police, who then took the matter Forensic Science Laboratory Gandhinagar. Thereafter, the state contacted the Centre.
But an examination of the chip by the Forensic Science Laboratory gave the game away.
It was found to be inscribed with the words "Benjing Dual (sic)" - possibly the name of a pigeon racing league based in China, where it is a popular sport.
"By searching google," the Gujarat Government told the Centre, "we found it was used for pigeon race. The information and the photographs are available on the internet about this race". The metal ring, inscribed with the number 28733, was possibly the bird's identification number.
But security agencies are yet to relax.
The forensic laboratory, after all, had been unable to explain the word "Rasul-ul-Allah" which was written on a wing of the pigeon.
Forest Officials were called in to examine the bird and rule out any possible foul play.
In its report, the forest department said such pigeons were used for racing in foreign countries. This pigeon might have "escaped from a ship somewhere in deep sea" and had flown to the under construction jetty in search of drinking water".
"Further investigation" is still going on, the Centre has been assured.
There are hundreds of pigeon associations in China and over the last decade, the sport has become a billion dollar industry, with luxury clubs and racing leagues mushrooming across the country.