JAMMU/NEW DELHI: An espionage network with alleged links to Pakistan has been uncovered, revealing that handlers across the border were reportedly monitoring the real-time movement of Indian Army personnel through a covert network of solar-powered CCTV cameras installed at strategically sensitive locations across North India, an official said on Friday.
The surveillance system reportedly spanned key cities including Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Pathankot, Patiala, and Moga in Punjab; Ambala in Haryana; Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir; and Bikaner and Alwar in Rajasthan. These areas are considered sensitive due to the presence of Army cantonments, proximity to the international border, and their role as major troop movement and logistics corridors.
According to police, the cameras were allegedly placed to monitor activity near military installations, highways used for troop mobilisation, and border-linked infrastructure. Sources said a Delhi Police team also visited Kathua to investigate the locations where the CCTV cameras were installed.
“One of the key accused, Manpreet Singh from Punjab, was found in direct contact with Pakistan-based handlers and played a central role in coordinating communication and facilitating the movement of illegal arms. Others, including field operatives, were responsible for physically installing and maintaining the camera network on the ground,” the officer said.
Police said the bust may have prevented a major security threat, as inputs suggest the module was also exploring plans to target security establishments using explosives and other means. The integration of espionage with arms trafficking and alleged terror planning points to a larger coordinated conspiracy involving external elements.
Security agencies are now analysing digital evidence, including mobile phones and data retrieved from the CCTV systems, to identify further links, handlers, and sleeper cells. Officials said the devices were reportedly transmitting live footage directly to Pakistan-based handlers, enabling them to monitor Indian Army movements in real time.
The module was busted by the Special Cell of the Delhi Police in a coordinated operation that led to the arrest of 11 accused involved in espionage, arms smuggling, and reconnaissance activities.
The accused have been identified as Manpreet Singh (Tarn Taran), Anmol and Sahil (Firozpur), Atul Rathee, Rohit and Ajay (Delhi), Gurjeet (Kapurthala), Rimpledeep (Fazilka), Salwinder alias Kalu and Boota Singh (Fazilka), and Harpreet (Moga).
Investigators said the network was allegedly operating under instructions from Pakistan’s intelligence agency, with operatives on the ground tasked with installing surveillance equipment and transmitting sensitive visuals. The use of solar-powered CCTV cameras allowed continuous monitoring even in remote areas without dependence on regular power supply.
Officials said the cameras were fitted with SIM cards obtained using fake identities and linked to mobile applications for real-time transmission of footage.
The accused reportedly conducted reconnaissance before installing the devices, selecting vantage points overlooking Army cantonments, border roads, and movement routes of security forces. The footage was allegedly analysed by handlers in Pakistan to track patterns and assess vulnerabilities.
“The intention was not just passive surveillance but systematic monitoring of defence movement patterns over a period of time,” an officer said.
The crackdown was carried out in two phases. In the first, six accused were arrested from Punjab and Delhi, with recovery of nine CCTV cameras, four pistols (including foreign-made weapons), and 24 live cartridges. In the second phase, five more operatives were arrested based on military intelligence inputs.
The investigation is ongoing, and officials have not ruled out further arrests.
Police also shared profiles of the accused, stating that some were educated individuals engaged in various professions, including technical work, business, and daily wage activities, who were allegedly recruited through encrypted communication platforms and local contacts linked to cross-border smuggling networks. (Agency)
