Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) has expanded its online recruitment operation to target vulnerable Indian women — particularly in Rajasthan — through a calculated 'marriage trap' scheme, according to intelligence officials. The terror outfit's women's wing, Jamaat-ul-Mominaat (JuM), is reportedly using social media to lure women across the border into Pakistan, where they are radicalised and later sent back to India as intelligence-gatherers.

The Women's Wing Behind the Operation

In October 2025, Jaish-e-Mohammed established its first dedicated women's wing — Jamaat-ul-Mominaat (JuM) — headed by Sadiya Azhar, sister of JeM chief Masood Azhar. The wing was set up with a three-pronged mandate: recruitment, radicalisation, and the eventual formation of a Fedayeen squad. According to intelligence officials, JuM has been actively radicalising both men and women within Pakistan, and has now turned its focus squarely on Indian targets.

How the Marriage Trap Works

According to an Intelligence Bureau (IB) official, ISI-backed handlers operating under JuM's direction spend months cultivating relationships with Indian women on social media platforms. The grooming process typically spans over six months, during which the handlers pose as potential romantic partners. Crucially, no sensitive questions are raised during this period — women are made to believe they are in a legitimate courtship.

Once a woman agrees to marriage, she is instructed to obtain a valid passport. Handlers then guide her across the border, with three routes reportedly in use: directly through the Rajasthan border, via Nepal with the help of a designated tout, or through Saudi Arabia, where JeM-linked contacts facilitate onward travel to Pakistan. Once inside Pakistan, the women are brainwashed and prepared for deployment back to India.

Why Rajasthan Is the New Focus

Earlier, such operations were concentrated in Jammu and Kashmir. Intelligence agencies say the focus has now shifted to Rajasthan, which shares a 1,070 km border with Pakistan — stretching from Hindumal Kot in Sri Ganganagar to Shahgarh in Barmer. The long, porous frontier makes cross-border movement easier to arrange, and the region's social profile — with relatively isolated communities — makes it fertile ground for online grooming.

Officials report a sharp rise in social media activity in border districts, with many girls already identified as being in contact with suspected ISI-backed elements. Handlers reportedly conduct extensive profile scanning before initiating contact, specifically targeting women with social difficulties, poor family ties, or signs of loneliness.

The Larger Network-Building Goal

Officials stress that not all recruited women are expected to return to India as intelligence operatives. The broader objective, according to intelligence inputs, is to build a self-sustaining network: once inducted into JuM, these women are tasked with reaching out to other women and youth in India to draw them into terror networks. The scale of the current operation, officials say, is significantly larger than earlier, localised drives — making it a qualitatively different threat.

Security agencies are believed to be coordinating awareness and surveillance efforts in vulnerable border districts. How the Centre and Rajasthan government formally respond to this intelligence assessment is expected to shape the next phase of counter-radicalisation measures.