Indian authorities have arrested at least eight people from three states for allegedly spying for Pakistan. This comes after increased security checks following the recent terror attack in Pahalgam.
Four people were arrested in Haryana, three in Punjab, and one in Uttar Pradesh.
Earlier, a travel vlogger was arrested on suspicion of spying. After this, the Hisar police warned that enemy countries were targeting young social media influencers. Hisar SP Shashank Kumar Sawan said some of them are lured by quick money and end up taking the wrong path.
Here are the eight people who were recently arrested for allegedly spying:
Jyoti Malhotra
Jyoti Malhotra is a travel vlogger from Hisar, Haryana, who runs a YouTube channel called ‘Travel with JO’ She was arrested last week for allegedly sharing Indian military information with Pakistan. Police said the 33-year-old had been in touch with someone from the Pakistan High Commission and had visited Pakistan at least twice. They also said Pakistani intelligence agents were trying to use her as their spy in India.
Davender Singh
Davendra Singh Dhillon, 25, is a political science student at Khalsa College in Patiala. He was arrested on May 12 in Kaithal, Haryana, after posting photos of a pistol and guns on Facebook. During questioning, it was found that he had visited Pakistan in November last year and shared sensitive information with ISI, Pakistan’s spy agency, including pictures of the Patiala military area.
Nauman Ilahi
Nauman Ilahi, 24, worked as a security guard in Haryana and was arrested a few days ago in Panipat. According to reports, he was in contact with someone from Pakistan’s spy agency, ISI. Police said he is from Uttar Pradesh and used his brother-in-law’s bank account to receive money from Pakistan in exchange for sharing information.
Arman
Arman, 23, was arrested on May 16 in Nuh, Haryana, after a tip-off from intelligence agencies. Police said he was sharing sensitive information with Pakistan during a time of high tension between the two countries. They also said they have proof and are continuing to investigate him.
Shahzad
Shahzad, a businessman from Rampur in Uttar Pradesh, was arrested in Moradabad by the Special Task Force (STF) on Sunday. According to the STF, he shared important security information with his contacts in Pakistan. He had visited Pakistan several times and was also involved in smuggling items like cosmetics, clothes, and spices.
Mohammad Murtaza Ali
Mohammad Murtaza Ali was arrested by Gujarat Police during a raid in Jalandhar. Police said he was spying for Pakistan’s ISI using a mobile app that he created himself. They found four mobile phones and three SIM cards with him.
Two others, Gazala and Yamin Mohammad, were also arrested in Punjab on similar charges.
Rising Tensions Between India and Pakistan
These arrests came during a time of increased tension between India and Pakistan. India blamed Pakistan’s terror groups after a terror attack in Pahalgam, where a group linked to Pakistan was involved.
After the attack, India launched Operation Sindoor to target terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. Pakistan responded with missile and drone attacks, but these were stopped. India then struck airfields in Pakistan. After four days, a ceasefire was agreed on May 10, ending the fighting.
