Two individuals from the Kashmir Valley were apprehended by authorities in Arunachal Pradesh on suspicion of spying for Pakistan. The arrested men, identified as Aijaz Ahmed Bhat and Bashir Ahmad Ganai from Jammu and Kashmir’s Kupwara district, were reported to have been gathering sensitive information for their handlers in Pakistan. This brings the total number of individuals detained in connection with the espionage case to five, as confirmed by officials.
According to the Inspector General of Police (Law & Order) in Arunachal Pradesh, Chukhu Apa, the arrests were carried out in Itanagar on December 18. The accused were allegedly involved in collecting sensitive data from various regions of Arunachal Pradesh and transmitting it to their contacts in Pakistan. Investigations are ongoing, with authorities awaiting forensic reports to further substantiate the case.
Earlier in November, Nazir Ahmad Malik and Sabir Ahmed Mir, both hailing from Kupwara district, were arrested by the Itanagar police following credible leads on their potential involvement in espionage. Subsequently, another individual, Shabir Ahmed Khan, also from Kupwara, was apprehended in Itanagar. The arrested individuals, primarily engaged in selling blankets, were known to travel across the state to gather intelligence, as per the IGP.
Emphasizing the importance of vigilance, the IGP urged residents of Itanagar to verify the credentials of individuals seeking accommodation before renting out their premises. Failure to do so, he cautioned, could lead to unforeseen complications.
