Pakistan-linked Espionage Cases Lead to Arrests in Northern India

Authorities say the two cases, reported within a span of 24 hours, highlight growing concerns about the use of social media and personal vulnerabilities to obtain sensitive information related to India’s military and security infrastructure.

In Punjab’s Pathankot district, police arrested a 15-year-old boy after intelligence inputs suggested he had been communicating with Pakistan-based individuals linked to the Inter-Service Intelligence, or ISI, as well as terror networks operating across the border. Pathankot, located close to the India–Pakistan frontier, hosts key military installations and has been the site of past security incidents.

Senior Superintendent of Police Daljinder Singh Dhillon of Pathankot said the juvenile had allegedly shared videos and details of sensitive locations. “The police have arrested Sanjeev Kumar, aged 15, after receiving information that he had been supplying information related to the security of our nation to the frontal organisations of terror agencies, ISI, and Pakistan military officers,” Mr Dhillon said.

According to investigators, the boy was first contacted by Pakistani handlers through social media platforms. Police said he was emotionally vulnerable, believing that his father had been murdered, a claim that was later found to be untrue. Officers said this emotional distress was exploited to draw him into communication with foreign handlers.

“He fell into the trap of Pakistani agencies through social media,” Mr Dhillon added, noting that the investigation had not found evidence to support the boy’s belief about his father’s death. Police allege that the teenager had been in contact with Pakistan-based terror operatives and gangsters for nearly a year.

A preliminary examination of his mobile phone reportedly revealed exchanges of photographs and videos of sensitive locations, as well as contact details linked to individuals described by police as anti-national elements. Officials are now working to determine the extent of information shared and whether others may have been involved.

In a related development cited by police, the boy is also believed to have links with individuals operating from Jammu and Kashmir, including alleged narco-trafficking networks across the border. A case has been registered under India’s Official Secrets Act of 1923, which governs offences related to espionage and the unauthorised sharing of sensitive information.

The minor is currently in custody, and further legal proceedings are expected to follow protocols applicable to juveniles under Indian law.

Separately, in the northern state of Haryana, police arrested a civilian contractor in the city of Ambala on suspicion of spying on an Indian Air Force installation. The accused, identified as Sunil, also known as Sunny, had been working as a contractor responsible for repair work at the Air Force station since 2020, according to police.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Virendra Kumar from the Crime Branch said investigators had received information suggesting that the contractor was passing on details related to defence areas. “His mobile was seized and several suspicious things emerged from it,” Mr Kumar said.

Police allege that the contractor was in contact with a woman who requested information about the Air Force facility, which he then shared. Mr Kumar added that, based on data recovered from the device, the information appeared to have been sent to what he described as a neighbouring “enemy country,” although he stressed that the investigation was still at an early stage.

The accused, who is married and has two children, has been placed on a four-day police remand while investigators examine digital evidence and financial records. Officials said they are trying to establish whether the contractor acted knowingly and whether he had links to organised networks.

Indian security agencies have not publicly commented on whether the two cases are directly connected. However, officials say both incidents underline a broader pattern of alleged attempts by Pakistan-linked operatives to gather intelligence using non-traditional sources, including minors and civilian workers with access to sensitive sites.

Context

India and Pakistan have a long history of tensions, particularly along their disputed border regions. Intelligence agencies on both sides have repeatedly accused each other of espionage and covert operations. In recent years, Indian authorities have warned that social media platforms are increasingly being used to identify and groom vulnerable individuals, including young people, for intelligence gathering and propaganda.

Security officials say that teenagers with access to smartphones can be particularly susceptible to manipulation, especially when combined with emotional stress or financial incentives. Police in Punjab have said they are now attempting to identify other young people who may have been contacted by foreign handlers and to raise awareness among families and schools about online risks.

The arrests come amid heightened security vigilance in northern India, where military installations are considered strategically critical. Authorities have said investigations in both cases are ongoing and that further arrests cannot be ruled out as more information emerges.