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Forces continue search operation against terrorists

Forces continue search operation against terrorists

SRINAGAR: A day after the death of a solider in an encounter in J&K's Kishtwar, security forces continued search operations in forest areas on Friday to track down the terrorists involved in the gunfight.
A security official said troops were conducting searches in Singhpura and adjoining Chatroo forests for the second day. 'The security men are using drones and other electronic gadgets to locate the terrorists. Forces have not yet traced the terrorists,' the official said.
Sources said security agencies suspect that a group of 3-5 Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists, including top commander Saifullah who is a Pakistani, are hiding in the area. A joint contingent of police, CRPF and army launched the search operation in Chatroo on Thursday when terrorists hiding in the area fired on the forces and in the ensuing gunfight, a soldier was killed.

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‘Spyware-like' apps found in phone of Nagpur woman who crossed over to Pak: Police
‘Spyware-like' apps found in phone of Nagpur woman who crossed over to Pak: Police

The Print

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  • The Print

‘Spyware-like' apps found in phone of Nagpur woman who crossed over to Pak: Police

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Who is Pakistan's ‘Madam N', who trapped Indian YouTubers arrested for spying?
Who is Pakistan's ‘Madam N', who trapped Indian YouTubers arrested for spying?

First Post

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  • First Post

Who is Pakistan's ‘Madam N', who trapped Indian YouTubers arrested for spying?

Naushaba Shahzad Masood reportedly helped Indian social media influencers, including YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra, to visit her country. Also known as 'Madam N', she runs a 'travel agency' in Lahore and has links to the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) read more A Pakistani businesswoman's name has emerged in the espionage cases linked to Indian YouTubers. 'Madam N' reportedly helped social media influencers travel to her country with the aim of setting up a spy network in India. India has recently arrested some social media influencers on suspicion of spying for Pakistan. Weeks after YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra's arrest, the Punjab Police's State Special Operations Cell (SSOC) arrested Jasbir Singh from Mohali on Tuesday for his alleged involvement in a Pakistan-backed espionage ring. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Is 'Madam N' linked to them? Let's take a closer look. Who is 'Madam N'? Pakistani businesswoman Naushaba Shahzad Masood, who runs a 'travel agency' in Lahore, is reportedly linked to the country's spy agency – the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). She is the owner of Jaiyana Travel and Tourism in Pakistan. Masood's husband is a retired civil services officer, as per a News18 India report. What is her role? Known as 'Madam N' by the ISI, Naushaba Masood is suspected of trying to develop a sleeper cell network in India through social influencers and YouTubers. Masood's name cropped up during the interrogation of social media influencers arrested in India on espionage charges, NDTV reported, citing sources. She allegedly helped Jyoti Malhotra and other Indians to visit Pakistan. The YouTuber had travelled to Pakistan multiple times, including days before the Pahalgam terror attack. Masood attempted to build a network of at least 500 spies in India who could hide in plain sight. She got instructions from the Pakistani Army and the ISI on how to establish the sleeper cell network. Masood used to target Hindus and Sikhs living in India. As per NDTV sources, she introduced Indian influencers to her country's army and the ISI. The businesswoman facilitated the visit of nearly 3,000 Indians and 1,500 non-resident Indians (NRIs) to Pakistan in the last six months. Her contacts at the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi helped her in getting visas approved immediately, as per News18. She was in touch with First Secretary (visa) Suhail Qamar and Counsellor (trade) Umar Sheryar and ISI operative Danish alias Ehsan-ur-Rehman . Danish, who was in contact with Jyoti Malhotra, was a visa officer in the Pakistani embassy in Delhi. He was declared persona non grata on May 13 by the Indian government on suspicion of spying. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD As per NDTV, the Pakistani High Commission has been issuing visitor visas on the suggestion and sponsorship of 'Madam N'. Masood appointed some travel agents in Delhi and other Indian cities, who now promote her company on social media. These agents are allegedly involved in brainwashing people to indulge in espionage activities on behalf of the Pakistani Army. Notably, Masood's agency was the only one that organised Sikh and Hindu pilgrimages to Pakistan, in collaboration with the Evacuee Trust Property Board. Indian YouTubers arrest Jyoti Rani Malhotra, a travel vlogger from Haryana, was among 11 individuals arrested across Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh last month in connection with a suspected Pakistan-backed spy network operating in North India. She was allegedly spying for Pakistani intelligence agencies and shared 'sensitive information' with an official of the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi. Earlier this week, the Punjab Police arrested YouTuber Jasbir Singh, who is allegedly linked to Shakir alias Jutt Randhawa, a Pakistani intelligence operative associated with the ISI. Singh, who ran the YouTube channel 'JaanMahal video', was in touch with fellow YouTuber Malhotra. He was also in regular contact with Danish, the former official at the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi. With inputs from agencies

'Madam N' and influencer spies: How Pakistani businesswoman built sleeper cell network in India; ISI-backed spy ring under lens
'Madam N' and influencer spies: How Pakistani businesswoman built sleeper cell network in India; ISI-backed spy ring under lens

Time of India

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  • Time of India

'Madam N' and influencer spies: How Pakistani businesswoman built sleeper cell network in India; ISI-backed spy ring under lens

This is an AI generated image, used only for represenative purpose (Image credit: Denny) As India cracks down on a suspected Pakistan-backed spy ring spreading across the country, one unsettling question emerges: How did Indian influencers end up working against their own country? At the center of this mystery is Noshaba Shehzad, a Pakistani businesswoman with high-level connections and a seemingly ordinary travel agency, Jaiyana Travel and Tourism. But behind the tourist brochures, Shehzad allegedly helped orchestrate a sophisticated espionage network with the backing of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). According to sources cited by NDTV, Shehzad isn't just a travel agent, she's 'Madam N', an ISI codename for the woman who reportedly laid the groundwork for a sleeper cell network inside India, with a target of recruiting up to 500 operatives who could blend in with the population unnoticed. Her strategy? Start with influencers. Arrested Instagram personality Jyoti Malhotra was allegedly among the many Indian citizens Shehzad lured into Pakistan under the pretext of cultural trips and tourism. But what began as guided visits soon turned into groundwork for spying. Sources say Shehzad worked hand-in-hand with Pakistani officials and ISI handlers, even manipulating the visa process through the Pakistani Embassy in Delhi. With just a call to key officials like Suhail Qamar (First Secretary, Visa) and Umar Sheryar (Counsellor, Trade), Shehzad could reportedly get Pakistani visas approved almost instantly for people she handpicked. She was also in close contact with Danish aka Ehsan-ur-Rehman, a known ISI operative working at the embassy until he was expelled in May—shortly after Malhotra's arrest. Notably, Madam N's husband is said to be a retired officer of Pakistan's civil services, adding another layer to her insider access. Though there is no official tourism corridor between India and Pakistan, Shehzad allegedly managed to send over 3,000 Indian citizens and 1,500 NRIs across the border in just six months. Many of these trips were organized under the banner of religious pilgrimage, Sikh and Hindu yatras permitted only through her agency, thanks to a tie-up with Pakistan's Evacuee Trust Property Board. Investigators believe the agency was used not only to facilitate travel but also to funnel funds into anti-India propaganda efforts. Pilgrims were reportedly overcharged, with the excess diverted for covert operations. Shehzad's network didn't stop at Pakistan's border. She's said to have recruited travel agents in Delhi and other Indian cities, creating a domestic pipeline to push unsuspecting Indian citizens into her espionage web.

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