A 15-year-old boy was detained in Punjab’s Pathankot district for allegedly spying and sharing sensitive information through social media, triggering a state-wide alert over possible efforts to recruit minors for espionage.
Officials said Tuesday that the boy, a resident of Jammu’s Samba district, had allegedly been in contact with Pakistan-based ISI handlers for about a year and shared critical information related to India’s security. He is accused of sending photographs and details of sensitive military installations. Chats and call records were recovered from his mobile phone, police said.
Senior Superintendent of Police Daljinder Singh Dhillon said the minor was taken into custody after intelligence inputs indicated he was passing on information to front organisations linked to the ISI and Pakistani military officers. Technical surveillance later confirmed links to handlers across the border, media reports said.
Police said the boy was emotionally vulnerable, believing his father had been murdered, a factor investigators say may have been exploited by Pakistani agencies to draw him in through social media.
During questioning, authorities found indications that the minor may not have been acting alone. Officials suspect that several other children could be in contact with ISI operatives.
Following the incident, alerts have been issued to police stations across the state to remain vigilant and identify other minors who may have been targeted.
A senior Punjab Police officer said the case has raised serious concerns within security agencies, amid indications that the ISI may be attempting to recruit children for espionage, posing a significant security risk.
