Man accused of spying for India arrested in Rawalakot

RAWALAKOT: Police have arrested a young man from Rawalakot area of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) on charges of spying for Indian intelligence agencies and providing sensitive information.

According to an FIR registered at Saddar police station, Muzaffarabad on July 23, the suspect is identified as Muhammad Obaid Jahangir, son of Mohammad Jahangir Shahid and a resident of Koiyan, Khai Gala, Rawalakot.

He allegedly shared details of sensitive installations with India’s intelligence agencies through WhatsApp and received hefty payments in return.

He is also accused of passing on other classified information regarding key sites, including the GPS location of Bilal Masjid in Shawai Nala, Muzaffarabad. This is the same mosque that India fired a missile at in May, resulting in the deaths of unarmed civilians.

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Police said Obaid has been booked under the Official Secrets Act and is currently under custody in Muzaffarabad.

Local residents claimed he was linked with the outlawed Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (Jamaat-ud-Dawa).

His uncle, Shaukat, is said to be a senior figure in the banned outfit and also the administrator of its mosque in Khai Gala.

The family reportedly migrated from Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir.

It may be recalled that in March this year, another member of the proscribed group, Saqib Ghani, was also arrested on charges of having ties with the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), with Pakistani authorities alleging Indian backing.

Local daily, Neel Fairy, reported that this was the first time a citizen of Azad Kashmir had been arrested with documented evidence of espionage for India while being associated with a proscribed militant group.

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Observers believe that the arrest may also expose links between proscribed groups and recent controversial activities in Rawalakot, including posters defaming the Joint Awami Action Committee, which sitting ministers and critics alleged were aligned with Indian interests.