Bathinda: Amid heightened security across India following the recent attack in Pahalgam, a 26-year-old man was arrested on Monday from Bathinda Cantonment in Punjab on suspicion of spying.
The suspect, identified as Sunil Kumar Ram, is a native of Samastipur, Bihar.
He has been working as a cobbler at Bathinda Cantt since 2017 and has lived in Dhobiana Basti for over a decade. His brother and uncle also work as cobblers in the same cantonment area.
According to Bathinda Police, WhatsApp chats with a Pakistani number were recovered from Sunil’s mobile phone. Initial investigation suggests he may have been in contact with a woman from Pakistan, raising concerns of a possible honeytrap. However, authorities have not confirmed espionage charges yet.
Sunil was detained by army personnel and later handed over to the Punjab Police.
“At this stage, we cannot confirm if he is a spy. We are examining his phone and conducting a forensic analysis,” said Bathinda City SP Narinder Singh.
Police are also probing how Sunil came in contact with the woman and whether any sensitive information was shared.
The SP noted the possibility of cyber fraud, stating that someone might have impersonated a woman to establish contact.
“Many people fall prey to such scams. Sunil may have believed he was chatting with a real person,” he added.
A case has been registered under Section 52 of the Indian Penal Code, which pertains to conspiracy-related offences.
Police said the investigation is in its early stages and further details will emerge after forensic examination of the seized.
