Daijiworld Media Network - Chandigarh
Chandigarh, May 22: A CCTV camera installed along a highway in Punjab has become the focus of a major espionage investigation after police arrested a man accused of secretly monitoring Indian Army and paramilitary movement near the sensitive Pathankot-Jammu corridor and allegedly sharing the footage with Pakistan-linked handlers.
According to Punjab Police, the accused, identified as Baljit Singh, is a resident of Chakk Dhariwal village in Pathankot. Investigators alleged that he had installed an internet-enabled CCTV camera near a bridge on National Highway-44, a strategic route frequently used by Army and paramilitary convoys travelling towards Jammu and Kashmir.
Police suspect the camera was deliberately positioned to capture real-time movement of defence vehicles and personnel, with the live feed allegedly transmitted to handlers based in Pakistan. Authorities also claimed that Baljit Singh received instructions from an individual operating out of Dubai.
Investigators said the case highlights a growing pattern of low-cost surveillance operations using commercially available internet-based devices for espionage purposes. Instead of infiltrating military facilities directly, the accused allegedly used a Wi-Fi-enabled CCTV camera capable of remotely streaming live footage to handlers outside India.
During questioning, Baljit Singh reportedly admitted to installing the camera earlier this year and sharing access to the live feed. Police also recovered the CCTV equipment from his possession.
According to reports, investigators are examining his communication records, financial transactions and possible links with a wider espionage network operating in border states. Police claimed the accused allegedly received around Rs 40,000 from an unidentified individual based in Dubai for carrying out the operation.
Officials have not disclosed complete operational details of the investigation but said intelligence inputs had triggered scrutiny over suspicious surveillance activity in the area.
A statement shared through the official X account of Pathankot Police confirmed that the accused had been arrested in connection with espionage-related activities and that further investigation was underway.
Security agencies have increasingly warned about the use of ordinary digital devices such as CCTV cameras, drones and mobile applications for intelligence gathering. Authorities are now probing whether the Pathankot case was an isolated incident or part of a broader network targeting defence movement corridors in northern India.
Pathankot remains one of India’s most strategically significant military zones because of its proximity to the Pakistan border and Jammu and Kashmir. The region has remained under heightened security scrutiny since the 2016 terror attack on the Pathankot Air Force Station.