Kathua/Jammu, September 21, 2026 — Jammu and Kashmir Police have arrested a 24-year-old truck driver in Kathua district for allegedly operating a live surveillance system that monitored Indian Army personnel and military convoys and transmitted the footage to Pakistani intelligence handlers.
The accused, identified as Aman, a Kathua resident who lived near the International Border, has been booked under the Official Secrets Act, 1923. The case was registered at Police Station Rajbagh in Kathua following a joint counter-espionage operation involving the Jammu and Kashmir Police and intelligence agencies. Some reports indicate that the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) also played a role in exposing the alleged conspiracy.
According to investigators, Aman was first approached through social media by operatives linked to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). After being honey-trapped, he was tasked with conducting reconnaissance of military installations and logistical routes in the sensitive Kathua border belt. He subsequently installed a high-definition, SIM-enabled smart CCTV camera outside his residence, positioned toward a road frequently used by security forces.
The device, which operated on a mobile SIM card rather than local Wi-Fi or broadband, allegedly broadcast real-time, encrypted video feeds of troop deployments, artillery movements, and military supply convoys directly to handlers across the border. Intelligence sources described the arrangement as creating a permanent digital observation post without requiring foreign operatives on the ground. Aman was allegedly paid Rs 20,000 to purchase and install the camera, with the payment reportedly routed through a Dubai-based channel.
Police have seized Aman’s mobile phone and electronic equipment for forensic analysis. Investigators are examining the full extent of the information shared, the payment trail, and whether other individuals formed part of a wider network.
Officials have noted that this is the second case in the Jammu region in four months involving alleged ISI-linked digital surveillance rather than traditional photograph-sharing. In May, a 23-year-old man from Jammu was arrested on similar charges after being contacted through social media. The latest arrest underscores a shift toward commercially available hardware capable of providing continuous remote access to sensitive military movements.
The investigation remains ongoing. Police have not released further details on the precise duration of the alleged livestreaming or the identities of the handlers. The accused remains in custody.
