In the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 civilian lives, Indian security agencies have launched an aggressive crackdown on espionage networks allegedly linked to Pakistan's intelligence agency, the ISI. The operation has led to the arrest of at least 11 individuals across multiple states, exposing a troubling trend of Indian nationals—including YouTubers, scientists, and diplomats—being lured into spying through honeytraps and digital manipulation.

Among the most shocking arrests was that of Jyoti Malhotra, a 33-year-old travel vlogger from Hisar, Haryana. She ran a popular YouTube channel, *Travel with Jo*, and was found to have travelled to Pakistan three times—in 2023, 2024, and just weeks before the Pahalgam attack in 2025. Authorities allege she was honey-trapped by ISI handlers, lured by fame and financial benefits in exchange for sensitive content. Her associations with a recently expelled Pakistani High Commission staff member are also under investigation.

In February 2024, Satendra Siwal, a Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS) member at the Indian Embassy in Moscow, was arrested in Meerut by the UP Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS). Siwal, originally from Hapur, had allegedly leaked classified defence information related to the Air Force and Navy after being ensnared online by a woman posing as 'Pooja Mehra', a suspected ISI agent. He has been charged under the Official Secrets Act.

Pradeep Kurulkar, a senior DRDO scientist and former lab director in Pune, was arrested in May 2023 by Maharashtra ATS for leaking sensitive information to a Pakistani operative via WhatsApp. His conversations included confidential discussions about Indian missile systems. He remains in judicial custody, and a voluminous chargesheet has been filed against him.

In a joint operation by Maharashtra and UP ATS, Nishant Agrawal, an engineer with BrahMos Aerospace, was arrested in 2018. He had been "honey-trapped" on social media by operatives posing as women. In 2024, Agrawal was sentenced to 14 years of life imprisonment for spying under the Official Secrets Act. Despite being granted bail in 2023, his conviction in 2024 confirmed his role in leaking classified information to Pakistan.

Madhuri Gupta, a Group B officer with the Indian Foreign Service, was arrested in 2010 for allegedly passing on sensitive information to ISI officials while posted in Islamabad. She confessed to her interactions with Pakistani intelligence through journalist Javed Rashid. In 2018, she was convicted and sentenced to three years in jail. Gupta passed away in 2021.

In the early 1990s, a senior Indian naval attaché in Islamabad became entangled in a romantic relationship with a Pakistani Military Nursing Service officer. Although he claimed she was an informant, investigations revealed he was being blackmailed by ISI. The officer was compelled to resign upon his return to India to prevent further security breaches.

These cases highlight a troubling pattern of manipulation and betrayal, with India's enemies exploiting personal weaknesses through digital honeytraps, flattery, and financial incentives. The incidents have prompted renewed calls for stricter internal vigilance and security protocols to protect national interests.