RAMESWARAM: In a first-of-its-kind seizure, 120 pigeons allegedly meant to be smuggled to Sri Lanka by sea were seized from a car that was intercepted near the Pamban North Fishing Harbour in Ramanathapuram district in the early hours of Tuesday.
Officials said 120 pigeons were kept inside six metal cages concealed in the car. The Q-Branch police, along with Customs officials, made the seizure.
Officials said this is the first recorded case of racing pigeons being intercepted while allegedly being smuggled to Sri Lanka through the Ramanathapuram coast.
Two persons from Madurai who were in the car were detained for questioning and later handed over to Customs officials in Rameswaram for further investigation.
The detained persons were Nawab Sherif (22) of Sholavandan and Kumaresan (39) of Kamarajapuram in Madur. Their car too was seized.
Officials said the Ramanathapuram Q-Branch unit was tipped off that pigeons were to be transported to Sri Lanka in a country boat.
Its personnel kept surveillance at the Pamban bridge and the North Fishing Harbour through the night and found a car stationed near the Pamban road bridge for an unusually long time. When the occupants were questioned, they reportedly gave contradictory answers, prompting the police to inspect the vehicle. Officials found the pigeons during the search.
Officials said the two detained persons admitted during preliminary inquiry that the pigeons had been brought from Madurai and were to be smuggled to Sri Lanka through the Pamban coast.
After the seizure, the Q-Branch personnel searched along the Pamban North coast and found a country boat anchored near the shore fleeing seaward on noticing the police. The Marine Police have launched a search to trace the boat and suspects.