Hyderabad: Following court orders, Vikarabad district police on Sunday released about 250 trained race pigeons that were brought to Pargi from Andhra Pradesh for betting purposes.
Each bird was tagged with a number and a QR code. The pigeons were to be released in Pargi, about 80 km from here, and would home in Gorantla of Satya Sai district of Andhra Pradesh, about 350 km away.
Bets would be accepted on which pigeon would complete the race first, as well as which bird would cover specific distances at the earliest.
Police were alerted to the presence of the birds by morning walkers who grew suspicious upon seeing a trolley loaded with pigeons and two persons releasing them. Strangers feared that the duo was spreading the human metapneumovirus (hMPV) that has been reported in China.
Shaik Munnawar and Pathan Baba Jaan, who transported 280 race pigeons from Gorantla, Satya Sai district (AP), were arrested. About 30 birds had been released before the police arrived at the scene.
The pigeons, which were tagged with a QR code and numbers of the betters/stakers, are owned by trainer Prem Kumar.
An auto trolley (AP37 TK 2085) was seized, Pargi station house officer S. Srinivas Reddy said.
"We registered cases under Gaming Act and Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. We are looking for Prem Kumar," said Srinivas Reddy.
The pigeons, categorised by their feather patterns as ‘homer’, ‘grey baaz’ and ‘tukdi neela’ were rescued by the police. These birds are used in races stretching from 100 km to 500 km.
There are different kinds of seasonal betting on trained racing pigeons that are categories on their feather patterns as ‘homer’, ‘grey baaz’ and ‘tukdi neela’, among others, a pigeon-trainer and breeder told Deccan Chronicle.
This particular type of betting on 500-km pigeon races is reported in Pargi in the winter season. The organiser also gives a betting amount to the first, second and third places every 100 kilometers till they reach their final destination, a pigeon trainer disclosed.
The `homer’ pigeons can fly up to 500 km, a pigeon trainer said. Pigeon betting is very common on the city and several organisers are involved, he said.
In the summer season, in July and August, the betters use ‘gray baaz’ and ‘tukdi ke neela’ birds for shorter races of up to 150 km.
The method is opposite when compared to AP here the stacker on last trained racing pigeon reaching destination gets first as the racing pigeon reaches destination flying nonstop is considered the strongest racing pigeon, he said.
