After spending eight months in Indian police custody, a pigeon suspected of being a Chinese spy has been released after being cleared of the charges. The bird was captured at a port in Mumbai with messages written in a script resembling Chinese on its wings.

Initially, the police registered a case of spying against the bird, but after an eight-month investigation, the charges were dropped.

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The pigeon, held at a city hospital during the investigation, was granted formal permission for release by the police. The bird reportedly flew away in good health.

This incident is not the first of its kind, as Indian authorities have detained pigeons on suspicion of espionage before. In 2016, a pigeon was taken into custody for carrying a threatening message to Prime Minister Narendra Modi near the border with Pakistan. In 2010, another pigeon was held with a ring around its foot, a Pakistani phone number, and address stamped on its body, leading to suspicions of spying.