In a major development, the Himachal Pradesh Police arrested a youth from Kangra district for allegedly possessing and sharing sensitive and objectionable content, with initial investigations pointing towards possible links with espionage activities.
The accused has been identified as Abhishek Bhardwaj, 18, son of Rajendra Singh, a resident of Sukahar village in the Dehra subdivision of Kangra. He was taken into custody early on May 28 following a surveillance operation led by the Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), Dadaseeba. Acting on classified intelligence inputs, a special team formed by the Himachal Police raided his residence and brought him in for questioning.
According to an official release from the Office of the Director General of Police, the youth is a college dropout and had been under watch for several days due to his suspicious online behavior.
During interrogation, the police discovered sensitive and objectionable content on Abhishek’s mobile phone, including images of weapons and videos containing potentially anti-national content. Officials confirmed that the material recovered falls under the purview of Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Abhishek is suspected to have become involved in anti-national activities through various online platforms. According to the police, his Facebook profile had over 3,000 friends, including a considerable number of individuals from Pakistan. One of the videos posted on his social media featured his name displayed alongside visuals of ammunition and several firearms, including AK-47 rifles—raising serious concerns about his motives.
Superintendent of Police, Kangra, Mayank Chaudhary confirmed that several sensitive documents and pictures were recovered from Abhishek’s phone and the seized digital content has been sent to forensic labs for in-depth examination. He added that the accused will be produced before the court for custodial remand to facilitate further investigation.
He said the police had been monitoring both online and offline activities since the launch of Operation Sindoor. Acting on classified intelligence suggesting that a youth from Dehra was involved in leaking sensitive security information to Pakistan, the police began surveillance. Abhishek’s social media activity appeared suspicious, leading to his arrest from his home.
Dehra DSP Raj Kumar stated that Abhishek has confessed to sharing information online, though the exact nature and volume of the information shared with foreign handlers remain under investigation.
A case under Section 152 of the BNS has been formally registered at Police Station Dehra. Authorities have urged the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the nearest police station or control room. “Your vigilance is the strongest pillar of our collective security,” read an official police advisory.
Further updates are expected following the accused’s remand hearing and continued questioning.
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