A youth from Makwal village in Jammu, located near the International Border, has been arrested for allegedly spying for Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) after being lured through a honeytrap operation conducted via social media. The arrest is the latest in a series of trans-border espionage cases uncovered in the Jammu and Kashmir region in recent weeks.

How the Honeytrap Unfolded

According to Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Jammu, Joginder Singh, Pakistan-linked operatives routinely exploit social media platforms to target Indian youth — pushing them toward drugs, radicalisation, and espionage through honeytrap tactics. 'Their efforts have always been to disrupt peace in Jammu and Kashmir,' Singh said, referring to the Pakistan Army, ISI, and their broader influence network.

Singh noted that while only a fraction of youth — 'as low as 0.01 per cent' — fall prey to such tactics, the threat is persistent and evolving. 'Boundaries between nations do not matter in the world of social media. Therefore, the online platforms are an easy access (to influence the youth),' he said.

Investigation Underway, Network Being Mapped

Authorities confirmed that further investigation is underway to identify other individuals connected to the accused's espionage network. The accused's mother, speaking to reporters, said her son spent considerable time on his mobile phone but she was unaware of how he allegedly came under Pakistan's influence or passed sensitive information to handlers.

Singh added that security agencies are actively monitoring such activities. 'We are identifying them and keeping an eye on them. We trace them and try to counsel them to mend their ways,' he said.

Pattern: Third Espionage Module Busted in a Month

This arrest follows a similar case on 22 May, when Punjab Police arrested Baljit Singh, a resident of Chakk Dhariwal village in Pathankot, on charges of spying for Pakistan-based handlers. According to officials, the entire operation was being directed by a handler operating from Dubai, and Baljit Singh was paid ₹40,000 for his role.

Baljit Singh had allegedly installed an internet-connected CCTV camera at a shop along National Highway 44 in January to monitor the movement of army and paramilitary forces, transmitting the live feed to Pakistan-based operatives. During questioning, he confessed to the crime, police said. That case was the third trans-border espionage module busted by police in less than a month.

The Broader Security Context

The recurring pattern of honeytrap-based recruitment along India's western border points to a systematic ISI strategy of exploiting social media to compromise Indian civilians with access to sensitive locations or information. Security analysts have long flagged the vulnerability of border-area youth — often economically marginalised — to such targeted influence operations. Notably, the Dubai-based handler angle in the Pathankot case suggests a layered operational structure designed to obscure direct Pakistan links.

With investigations ongoing in both cases, security agencies are expected to widen their probe to identify the full extent of these networks. The cases are also likely to prompt a renewed push for digital literacy and counter-radicalisation outreach in border districts.