Punjab Police Detain 15-Year-Old for Alleged Espionage Activities
Minor Detained for Spying Allegations
Chandigarh, January 6: A 15-year-old boy has been apprehended by police in Pathankot, Punjab, on charges of espionage and for allegedly disseminating sensitive information through social media, leading to a statewide alert regarding potential similar activities involving minors.
Authorities reported on Tuesday that the boy, hailing from the Samba district of Jammu, had purportedly been transmitting critical information concerning India to handlers associated with the ISI in Pakistan for approximately one year.
He is accused of sharing images and details about sensitive military sites. Police have recovered chat logs and call records from his mobile device.
According to police, the boy believed his father had been murdered, which contributed to his emotional vulnerability.
Daljinder Singh Dhillon, Senior Superintendent of Police in Pathankot, informed the media that the boy was taken into custody after authorities received intelligence indicating he was providing information related to national security to organizations linked to terror agencies, including the ISI and Pakistani military officials.
He noted that the boy was lured by Pakistani agencies via social media, as his suspicions regarding his father's death affected his mental state.
Following surveillance and technical analysis that connected his communications to handlers in Pakistan, the minor was detained, as reported by media sources.
During interrogation, police discovered that the boy was not acting alone. Officials suspect that several other minors may also be in contact with ISI operatives.
As a result, alerts have been dispatched to police stations throughout the state to remain vigilant and identify other children who may have been targeted. His arrest has raised alarms among Indian security agencies, as investigations suggest that the ISI is attempting to recruit young individuals for espionage, which could pose a significant security threat, acknowledged a senior officer from the Punjab Police.