Groomed for terror: 14yrold spy mapped Army posts for ISI; detained for ‘sharing sensitive info with Pak’

PATHANKOT: Security forces in Punjab have uncovered a chilling new frontier in cross-border espionage after apprehending a 14-year-old boy allegedly recruited by Pakistani intelligence to map sensitive military installations.

He was a tech-savvy teenager with a history of psychological struggles; to the ISI, he was the perfect soft target, a pawn in a chilling narco-terror tactic where vulnerable minors along the border are being digitally groomed to betray their country in exchange for weapons and empty promises. The Class-IX student from Jammu and Kashmir was reportedly manipulated by the ISI (Pakistani spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence) and its narco-terror networks through social media chat rooms.

A digital trap

Pathankot senior superintendent of police Daljinder Singh Dhillon has said the boy was tracked down following a flow of intelligence that led investigators to his mobile phone. The device contained evidence of direct contact with Pakistan Army officials and narco-terror operatives. Police claim that the boy entered Pakistan-based chat rooms where agents posing as friendly contacts identified him as a soft target.

They allegedly promised him weapons and support, eventually coercing him into conducting photography and videography of high-security border sites. SSP Dhillon said: The content recovered from his mobile phone left our team flabbergasted. His phone had been cloned through a malicious app, allowing handlers to access his data directly.

Psychological exploitation

The investigation revealed a disturbing profile of the young suspect. Born in 2011, the boy had lost his father and was living with extended family while struggling with diagnosed psychological disorders, including bipolar tendencies. Authorities believe his handlers exploited his condition and technical curiosity, using enticements and coercion to turn a Class-IX student into a state asset.

Broader network suspected

The boy has been produced before a juvenile court and moved to a juvenile home. However, the investigation has expanded beyond his arrest. Pathankot police have shared data with authorities in Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir to track other individuals suspected of similar activities. Officials noted that the boy had been supplying information for quite some time before his capture. Fortunately, we were able to save our boy in time, SSP Dhillon said. Any further delay could have caused serious harm to him and posed a significant threat to national security.

A warning to parents

The case has sparked an urgent plea from Indian law enforcement for increased parental vigilance. SSP Dhillon urged families to monitor all online interactions and social media chat room participation, implement strict parental controls on mobile devices, and watch for signs of manipulation or sudden changes in behavior, particularly in children with existing mental health challenges.

It started with a chat room and ended with a national security crisis. By cloning a 14-year-olds phone and exploiting his technical curiosity, handlers in Pakistan turned a fatherless boy into a pawn for the Pakistan Army. Now, police are issuing a parental alert as the battle for the border moves into the palms of our childrens hands.

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