JAMMU: A suspicious pigeon carrying a coded ring, a chit written in Urdu and Pakistani currency was caught by locals along the border in Jammu’s Samba district on Saturday, officials said.An official pointed out that such episodes are not uncommon in border areas of J&K and Punjab, where pigeons have been used for smuggling or for sending messages across the frontier.On Saturday, the pigeon was found near a temple in Samba’s border area of Mawa around 6.40am and was immediately captured by locals after they spotted a ring tied to its leg. “A ring bearing Code No 03341214150 was found attached to its leg, besides the note and currency,” the official said.

A police team arrived soon and seized the pigeon with the items. “The pigeon has been taken for examination. Security agencies are verifying the contents of the note and the origin of the bird,” the official said.Suspicious creatures and items flying in are not a rarity in Jammu’s border zones. On Friday, a balloon bearing the marking of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) was found near a border post in Ghou Manhasan. This sparked a search of the area as a precautionary measure. On Oct 17, a suspicious aircraft-shaped balloon bearing the PIA symbol was seized from Jammu’s Khaur area.