MUMBAI: A pigeon, suspected to be used by the Chinese for spying and kept in the custody of a veterinary hospital here after being caught eight months back, has been released, police said on Wednesday.

The Bai Sakarbai Dinshaw Petit Hospital for Animals in the Parel area here had sought the police’s permission to release the bird.

The pigeon was caught in May last year at Pir Pau Jetty in suburban Chembur by the RCF police.

The bird had two rings - one of copper and another of aluminium - tied to its leg and messages written in a Chinese-like script on the underside of both its wings, the police said.

The RCF police then registered a case but after the inquiry, the spying charge was dropped.

The police found the pigeon used to take part in racing at the open waters in Taiwan and at one such event, it flew out of the country, an official said.

The pigeon was freed after the police gave a “no objection”, he said, adding the bird’s medical condition was fine.