A major espionage case with suspected Pakistan links has surfaced in Punjab after police arrested a Pathankot resident accused of secretly transmitting live surveillance footage of Indian Army and paramilitary movement to handlers based across the border. 

According to investigators, the accused, identified as Baljit Singh alias Bittu from Chakk Dhariwal village in Pathankot district, had allegedly installed an internet-enabled CCTV camera near a bridge on the strategically important Pathankot-Jammu stretch of National Highway-44. Security agencies believe the setup was specifically designed to monitor troop and convoy movement heading toward Jammu and Kashmir. 

Police officials said preliminary investigations revealed that the live surveillance feed was being electronically transmitted to Pakistan-based handlers. During questioning, the accused reportedly confessed that he had installed the camera in January after receiving instructions from unidentified operatives, including a contact allegedly based in Dubai. 

Authorities claimed the accused received around Rs 40,000 for setting up the surveillance operation. Investigators recovered the CCTV camera along with internet equipment allegedly used to stream footage from the highway route. 

The incident has intensified concerns over Pakistan-linked espionage attempts targeting sensitive Indian military infrastructure. The Pathankot-Jammu corridor remains one of the country’s most strategically important military transit routes due to continuous movement of troops and equipment toward border regions. 

Punjab Police have registered a case under multiple sections related to anti-national activities and the Official Secrets Act. Officials said several more suspects are under investigation, including alleged associates involved in facilitating the surveillance setup and handling communications with foreign operatives. 

Security agencies are also probing possible links between espionage activities, drug trafficking networks and Pakistan’s intelligence apparatus. Investigators suspect the operation may be part of a broader cross-border surveillance module operating in Punjab’s border districts. 

The arrest comes shortly after Punjab Police busted multiple alleged ISI-backed espionage modules using China-made solar-powered CCTV systems to transmit live feeds of sensitive military locations to handlers in Pakistan. Investigators say the repeated discovery of such networks points to increasingly sophisticated surveillance tactics being used against Indian defence installations. 

The latest case has once again highlighted persistent security threats linked to cross-border espionage and renewed scrutiny over Pakistan-based networks accused of targeting India’s military infrastructure through covert digital surveillance operations. 

Disclaimer : This image is taken from NDTV.