Spy pigeon mystery solved? Pak villager says bird his pet, urges PM Modi to ensure safe return

Habibullah, a resident of Bagga-Shakargarh village in Pakistan, said he was the owner of the pigeon with the pink-patch and 'coded message' that was caught by Indian security forces from Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua.

Two days after Indian security forces caught a pigeon flying along the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district over suspicions of it being a spy sent by Pakistan, a villager from the other side of the border has claimed the winged creature as his own.

Speaking to the Pakistani news channel, Dawn, Habibullah, a resident of Bagga-Shakargarh village in Pakistan, situated along the Sialkot Working Boundary, said he was the owner of the pigeon with the pink-patch.

Habibullah has flatly denied that his pet was involved in any spying operations. “Yes, this is my pet pigeon as it can never be a spy or a terrorist,” he told Dawn.

On May 25, a pigeon was captured by residents of Manyari village in Jammu and Kashmir's Hiranagar sector soon after it flew into this side from Pakistan.

The villagers handed over the pigeon to the local police station. A ring was seen attached to one of its legs with some numbers on it as well as a pink patch on its legs.

Security agencies concerned have been working to decipher the "coded message".

The message, turns out, was Habibullah's phone number!

The bird breeder told Dawn that he had flown many pigeons on the joyous occasion of Eid. He had put rings inscribed with his phone number on the birds' feet.

As his village is just 4 km away from Indian territory, the pigeon landed up in Jammu and Kashmir.

The villager urged Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to return the pigeon to Pakistan with “full protocol and due respect”.

Protests have also taken place in his native village over the arrest of the bird.