Pakistan's ISI lays honey trap to attract Kutch youth for espionage

KUTCH: Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has been using honey-trapping as a strategy to gather secret and confidential information about the Indian armed forces. In a late night operation in Bhuj town, the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) nabbed two suspected ISI agents allegedly involved in sending sensitive information about movement of Army and BSF troops to their Pakistan-based handlers. They have been identified as - Alana Hamir Sama (40), a resident of Kukma village of Bhuj taluka, and his associate Shakoor Sumra (38), resident of Sumrapor in Bhuj taluka of the district. According to ATS sources it's a case honey trap because of the involvement of a woman, Razia, a resident of Tharparkar District of Pakistan's Sindh province. One of the two suspected agents, Alana, came in contact with Razia when he went to Tharpakar, a border district of Pakistan, to meet the family of his grand-father's brother two years ago. Post 2014, Alana visited Pakistan four times on Indian passport as his friendship with the Pakistani girl turned into love. Since then both started staying in constant touch. This was the time when Alala came in contact with ISI agents and started working for the Pakistani agency. According to ATS, Alana gathered sensitive information about troop movements and shared it with his Pakistan-based ISI handlers. The money that ISI offered to Alana for his 'services' was kept with Razia by the accused. Sources close to ATS say the entire episode of this honey trap was planted by the ISI to lure Alana into becoming a spy and gather secret and confidential information. From Alana, ATS recovered a Pakistani-made mobile phone, his I-card issued in Pakistan and an Aadhar card issued in India, pendrives and other documents. Alana and Shakoor are being questioned in Bhuj by various state and Central agencies to dig out more information from them. The action comes amid tension between India and Pakistan after the recent surgical strikes by the Indian Army on terror launch pads across the LoC. A high alert has been sounded in Gujarat, specially in border areas due to the threat of terror attack. (with PTI inputs)