Sanjay Pandita
Early Times Report
Jammu, Dec 23: In a major counter-espionage breakthrough with serious national security implications, the Arunachal Pradesh Police have arrested two more Kashmiri men, taking the total number of arrests in a Pakistan-linked spying racket to five. All the accused are residents of Kashmir and are alleged to have been operating under the directions of Pakistani handlers.
Senior police officials said the latest arrests—Aijaz Ahmed Bhat and Bashir Ahmad Ganai—were made from Kupwara district of Kashmir on December 18. The duo was subsequently brought to Itanagar, where they are currently lodged in police custody for sustained interrogation.
With these arrests, investigators believe they have exposed a well-organised espionage network operating from within Arunachal Pradesh, using seemingly innocuous cover activities to gather and transmit sensitive information to hostile elements across the border.
“The accused, during their repeated visits to different parts of Arunachal Pradesh, allegedly collected sensitive and strategic information from locals and other sources and shared it with their Pakistani handlers,” a senior police officer told the media, describing the case as a grave threat to national security.
The case first came to light on November 21, when Arunachal Pradesh Police arrested Nazir Ahmad Malik and Sabir Ahmed Mir, both residents of Kupwara district, following specific and credible intelligence inputs pointing towards espionage activities. Shortly thereafter, another suspect, Shabir Ahmed Khan, also from Kupwara, was arrested from Itanagar, tightening the noose around the suspected spy ring.
Nazir Ahmad Malik was initially detained from Ganga village, and based on crucial disclosures made during his interrogation, police arrested Sabir Ahmed Mir from Abotani Colony in the Itanagar Capital Region on the same day, officials said.
According to investigators, the five arrested indi The latest arrests—Aijaz Ahmed Bhat and Bashir Ahmad Ganai—were made from Kupwara district on December 18.
Investigators have exposed a well-organised espionage network operating from within Arunachal Pradesh.
The accused used to gather and transmit sensitive information to hostile elements across the border.
The five arrested individuals were allegedly part of a covert spy network that had penetrated Arunachal Pradesh under the guise of petty trade.
Police revealed that most of the accused posed as blanket vendors, travelling extensively across towns and remote areas of Arunachal Pradesh. Under this cover, they allegedly gathered information related to infrastructure, movement patterns, and local vulnerabilities, which was then passed on to Pakistani operatives.
The operation to bust the espionage module was led by Itanagar Superintendent of Police Jummar Basar, with close coordination from central intelligence agencies. Senior police and intelligence officials are now jointly interrogating the accused to uncover the full extent of the network, including possible local facilitators and cross-border links.
“Further arrests cannot be ruled out as the investigation progresses,” the official said, adding that digital devices and communication channels used by the accused are being forensically examined.
In the wake of the arrests, Arunachal Pradesh Police issued a strong advisory to the public, urging citizens to carry out proper police verification before allowing anyone to stay in their homes on rent or any other arrangement.
“People should not allow unknown individuals to stay in their houses without thorough verification, as such negligence can pose serious security risks,” the police cautioned.
Meanwhile, police clarified that another individual earlier detained from Miao in Changlang district was released after investigations found no evidence linking him to the espionage activities.
The arrests have sent shockwaves across the region, underscoring growing concerns over foreign-sponsored espionage and the exploitation of civilian cover to undermine India’s internal security. |
