The Punjab Police have arrested two youths from Gurdaspur, accusing them of spying for Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). According to officials, the ISI activated these individuals after the terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22nd.
The two men, identified as Sukhpreet Singh and Karanbir Singh, both aged 19-20 years, were allegedly in direct contact with ISI operatives and had been sharing information for the past 15-20 days. DIG Border Range, Satinder Singh, revealed that ₹1 lakh was transferred to their accounts. The suspects are also allegedly involved in drug activities.
Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav confirmed the arrests, stating that the Gurdaspur police thwarted an attempt to compromise national security through a counter-espionage operation. He added that credible intelligence indicated Sukhpreet Singh and Karanbir Singh were engaged in sharing classified details related to Operation Sindoor, including troop movements and key strategic locations in Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu & Kashmir, with the ISI.
Forensic examination of their mobile phones corroborated the intelligence inputs. The police also recovered three mobile phones and eight live cartridges (.30 bore) from their possession. A case has been registered under the Official Secrets Act at the Dorangala police station in Gurdaspur, and further investigations are underway. Preliminary findings suggest the accused transmitted critical information concerning the Indian Armed Forces.
These arrests are part of a broader crackdown on individuals suspected of spying for Pakistan in the wake of heightened tensions between the two countries. Authorities have increased surveillance and counter-espionage efforts following the Pahalgam attack, in which the role of a terror group linked to Islamabad emerged. India responded to the attack with Operation Sindoor, targeting terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. Hostilities briefly escalated with missile and drone attacks before a ceasefire was established on May 10th.
In recent days, Indian authorities have arrested at least eleven people across multiple states on suspicion of espionage for Pakistan. These arrests include individuals from Haryana, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh. A travel vlogger from Haryana was also arrested on similar charges, prompting Hisar police to warn that young influencers are being targeted by enemy countries for easy money.
Other recent arrests include a businessman in Uttar Pradesh's Rampur, apprehended for allegedly passing sensitive information to ISI handlers, and a security guard in Haryana, who was reportedly receiving money from Pakistan for supplying information. These incidents highlight the ongoing efforts by Pakistani intelligence agencies to gather information and potentially destabilize India.
