- A pigeon with a ring bearing a Pakistani mobile number was found in Kathua district
- The bird was spotted in Chhan Khatriyan village and handed over to local police
- Police and intelligence agencies launched an inquiry into possible cross-border messaging
A pigeon bearing a ring inscribed with what appears to be a Pakistani mobile number has been found in a border village in the Hiranagar sector of Kathua district in Jammu and Kashmir, prompting security agencies to launch a detailed inquiry.
Sources said the bird was spotted by locals in Chhan Khatriyan village last evening and was later handed over to the police.
A ring tied to its leg had a number resembling a Pakistani mobile code, following which police informed intelligence agencies and an investigation was launched.
The police said they are verifying whether the bird was being used for cross-border messaging, a tactic suspected to have been used in the past.
The recovery has raised serious security concerns since Kathua, especially the Hiranagar belt, has been used in the past as an infiltration route by terrorists from Pakistan in recent years.
The 50-km stretch along the International Border in Hiranagar and Samba has dense sarkanda (elephant grass) growth, nullahs and rivulets that provide cover to infiltrators.
Security forces during the last few years have foiled several infiltration bids in the area. Attacks in Kathua, Basantgarh and Billawar in the past have been linked to terrorists who had infiltrated via this border route.
The area is also highly sensitive due to its proximity to the Jammu-Pathankot National Highway.
This is not the first time that pigeons suspected to have flown in from across the border have been recovered in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab.
In the past, BSF and J&K Police have recovered pigeons with Pakistani stamps, coded messages and wire-like antennas. In 2020, a pigeon with a ring bearing a Pakistani number was captured in Manyari village of Hiranagar. In 2016 and 2018, birds were recovered in RS Pura and Akhnoor sectors in similar instances.
Security agencies are examining if the birds are being used for espionage, smuggling of narcotics or to test the response mechanism of border forces. "The bird has been taken into custody. All agencies have been informed. We are investigating all angles," said a senior officer.
