Punjab Newsline | Pathankot
Punjab Police have uncovered a suspected espionage network in Pathankot after arresting a man accused of sharing live feeds of Indian Army and paramilitary force movements with Pakistani intelligence handlers in exchange for ₹40,000.
According to Pathankot SSP Daljinder Singh Dhillon, the accused, identified as Baljit Singh, had installed a high-definition 360-degree camera along the strategically important Pathankot-Jammu National Highway (NH-44) earlier this year with the help of three associates.
Police said the camera was mounted near a shop on the highway route frequently used by military convoys. The device reportedly provided real-time footage of troop and vehicle movements, which was transmitted to Pakistani intelligence handlers using private internet access.
Investigators revealed that both Baljit Singh and a Pakistani handler had remote access to the camera feed. During interrogation, it also emerged that the accused was allegedly receiving instructions from a person based in Dubai.
The accused was arrested on the night of May 20 and has been remanded to five days of police custody for further questioning.
Officials described NH-44 as one of India’s most strategically sensitive military corridors, connecting Punjab to Jammu and Kashmir and serving as a major supply route for troop deployment, weapons transport, ammunition movement, and military logistics to border areas and the Kashmir Valley.
SSP Daljinder Singh Dhillon further stated that the accused is a resident of Dhariwal Chak in Pathankot and is reportedly addicted to drugs. Police suspect that anti-national networks and smugglers often target vulnerable youths struggling with substance abuse. Investigators believe Baljit came into contact with drug traffickers from Gurdaspur, who later linked him to the espionage network.
