Nearly nine days after it was spotted, caught and handed over to the local police, the pigeon which was suspected to have flown from across the border from Pakistan, was handed over to a bird lover in Pathankot.


Ramanjit Singh is owner of a facility which takes care of birds and pets said SSP Pathankot, Rakesh Kaushal. The white female pigeon has been kept in the company of a male pigeon, Singh said.


Police had earlier guarded the fidgety 'intruder' from Pakistan who had created a flutter in Pathankot. The white pigeon, with a Pakistani seal and Tehsil Shakargarh, district Narowal stamped on it in Urdu, was spotted and caught by one Ramesh Kumar from his house at Manwal village on the Indo-Pak border.


As the bird looked 'suspect' due to the Pakistani marking, Ramesh took it to the Bamial police station where it remained in custody for the past few days.


The pigeon has refused to answer any questions or disclose the names of its handlers in Pakistan. In fact, the only word to have come out of its mouth so far is "coo", Quartz has said.


Pigeon fanciers in the sensitive border area had earlier told the police that Pakistani doves were easily distinguishable from their Indian brethren.