In a significant development in a cross-country espionage investigation, the Arunachal Pradesh Police have apprehended two more individuals from north Kashmir's Kupwara district. The arrests are connected to a case involving the alleged collection and sharing of sensitive information with handlers based in Pakistan.
Details of the Latest Arrests
The two men, identified as Aijaz Ahmed Bhat and Bashir Ahmad Ganai, were taken into custody on December 18. Following their arrest in Kashmir, they were transported to Arunachal Pradesh on transit remand. This brings the total number of people from Kashmir apprehended by the Arunachal police in this spy network case to five. A senior police officer in Srinagar clarified that the Jammu and Kashmir Police had no direct role in this specific investigation, which is being led by the Arunachal authorities.
How the Spy Ring Unraveled
The investigation began with the first arrest on November 21. Nazir Ahmad Malik, a resident of Kupwara, was arrested in Itanagar after the Arunachal police received credible intelligence about his involvement in espionage activities. Based on information gleaned from his interrogation and subsequent probe, the police team moved to arrest two more suspects from Kupwara: Ahmed Mir and Shabir Ahmad Khan, also in Itanagar. Sources within the J&K Police revealed that one of the accused, Ahmed Mir, was married to a woman from Arunachal Pradesh.
Modus Operandi and Police Appeal
In Itanagar, IGP (Law and Order) Chukhu Apa addressed the media, confirming that Bhat and Ganai were now in the custody of the Arunachal Police. He credited the Itanagar SP, Jummar Basar, and his team for their diligent work leading to the arrests. The IGP disclosed a critical detail about the suspects' methods: they allegedly travelled to various parts of Arunachal Pradesh posing as blanket sellers to covertly collect sensitive information. Appealing for public vigilance, the IGP urged residents of the state to properly verify documents and identities before renting out their properties to unknown persons. He added that the police are actively working on further inputs regarding the spy ring's operations in the state.
