Pathankot: The arrest of a 15-year-old boy from Pathankot in Punjab has blown the lid of a racket by Pakistan’s ISI to engage minors as spies.
The boy who was arrested was apparently lured through social media posts by Pakistani Intelligence Operatives (PIOs) and made to believe that his father had been murdered, as reported by TOI.
Preliminary investigations have revealed that the teenager had been in touch with ISI handlers based in Pakistan for nearly a year. According to the police, the boy was sharing important and sensitive information related to India’s security forces and sensitive locations through his mobile phone.
According to India Today, the boy, a resident of the Samba district in Jammu, was taken into custody following surveillance and technical analysis that linked his communications to Pakistan-based handlers.
Investigators were stunned when they came to know that the teenager was not acting alone. Police sources said several other minors across different districts of Punjab are suspected to be in contact with ISI operatives.
Given the seriousness of the findings, alerts have been sent to police stations across Punjab to remain vigilant and identify other vulnerable children who may have been drawn into similar networks.
Further investigation is underway to establish the scale of the operation and the nature of information that may have been shared.
Pathankot Senior Superintendent of Police Daljinder Singh Dhillon told the media that: “The child who has been apprehended is 15-years-old and was in contact with ISI handlers in Pakistan. During the investigation, crucial information has come to light about how data was being passed on. We have also found inputs suggesting that other minors in Punjab are involved. Police units across the state have been informed, and action will follow.”
The case has prompted a wider review of online activity involving minors, particularly in border areas, officials said. The focus, they added, is on preventing sensitive information from being leaked and ensuring that children are not exploited by hostile agencies operating through digital platforms.
Children are being tapped by the ISI as they are not generally suspected and get easier access to locations that may restrict the entry of adults.
Meanwhile, the police in Ambala, Haryana, have arrested a contractor for sending sensitive information to Pakistani handlers. The contractor was apparently engaged at Air Force Station Ambala and had access to information.
