India Pakistan news highlights: Parliamentary panel praises Vikram Misri's work, condemns trolling

The FIR, filed at Hisar Civil Lines police station, states that Jyoti Malhotra met Ehsan-ur-Rahim alias Danish, an official of Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi in 2023, while seeking a visa. Danish introduced her to Ali Ahwan, who arranged her accommodation and further meetings with Pakistani security officials Shakir and Rana Shahbaz.

“She saved Shakir’s contact as ‘Jatt Randhawa’ to avoid suspicion,” the FIR notes. After returning to India, Malhotra allegedly continued communication with the operatives via encrypted apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, and Snapchat.

She met Danish multiple times at the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi. The FIR further alleges that Malhotra was part of a wider espionage network operating across Haryana and Punjab, involving agents, informants, and financial handlers. (With inputs from Bhavey Nagpal)

Asserting that Trinamool Congress will stand with the Centre shoulder to shoulder in combating terrorism, TMC General Secretary and Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee on Monday said that the Union Government cannot decide who will go from which party unilaterally.

"I don't know from where you got this information. I am saying this very clearly that whatever decision the Union Government takes, which aims at combating terrorism to protect the national interest of the country, TMC will stand with the Centre shoulder to shoulder," Banerjee said when asked if TMC has opted out of the Centre's multi-party diplomatic mission aimed at countering Pakistan-sponsored terrorism.

"We do not have a problem with any delegation going...Which member of our party will go in the delegation is the decision of my party. The Centre or the Union Government cannot decide who will go from which party unilaterally... Which member of TMC, DMK, Congress, AAP and Samajwadi Party will go in the delegation should be decided by the party itself," he added. (ANI)

Two terrorist associates were arrested in Jammu and Kashmir’s Shopian district in a joint operation by the Indian Army's 34 Rashtriya Rifles, Special Operations Group (SOG) Shopian, and CRPF 178 Battalion, said the Shopian police.

Upon their arrest, several arms and ammunition were recovered, including four hand grenades, two pistols and 43 live rounds, the police said. Other incriminating materials were also recovered, and an FIR has been filed against the two suspects, the police added.

Indian intelligence and law enforcement agencies, who are on high alert against Islamabad's subversive activities in the wake of Operation Sindoor, have opened probes against at least four Indians over suspected links with Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), which breeds, fosters and trains cross-border terrorism. They are - 

Jyoti Malhotra- The Hisar police last week arrested YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra on charges of espionage. The police said that Pakistani intelligence operatives (PIOs) were grooming her to become an ISI asset.

Suspected ISI agent arrested in UP's Tanda- The Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force on Sunday arrested a businessman for allegedly working as an agent of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence.

Kaithal's Devendra arrested- On May 17, the Haryana police arrested Devendra, a resident of Mastgarh Cheeka village in Kaithal, for allegedly passing information to the Pakistan army and ISI during the recent India-Pakistan conflict.

Priyanka Senapati - YouTuber Priyanka Senapati, known for travel videos, is also being investigated in connection with a case involving fellow creator Jyoti Malhotra.

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Yusuf Pathan, Trinamool MP, will not join Centre's 'Operation Sindoor' outreach programme, aimed at highlighting how Pakistan has been sheltering terrorists. Pathan was named by the Indian government in an all-party parliamentary delegation which will visit 30 countries. 

The Baharampur MP's name was included without consulting the party, Trinamool Congress said.

"How can the Union Government decide on the representative of Trinamool. They should have held discussions with the opposition to decide which representative a party will send. How can the BJP decide which representative Trinamool will send," TMC's National General Secretary Abhishek banerjee said. Read more.

Ashoka University professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad has approached Supreme Court challenging his arrest for social media posts related to Operation Sindoor.

He was arrested on Sunday after the Haryana State Commission for Women took suo motu cognisance of his comments.

YouTuber Priyanka Senapati, known for travel videos, is being investigated in connection with a case involving fellow creator Jyoti Malhotra, who was arrested on suspicion of spying for Pakistan.

Priyanka Senapati, who also visited Kartarpur in Pakistan three to four months ago, had developed a friendship with Jyoti. 

Priyanka Senapati had written in an Instagram post, "Jyoti was just a friend of mine, and I came in contact with her through YouTube. I was unaware of anything which she is accused of. I would not have been in touch with her if I knew she was spying for enemy Pakistan.” Read more.

Odisha Police have started an investigation into the alleged links between a Puri-based YouTuber Priyanka Senapati and Jyoti Malhotra. The state's police said on Sunday that Malhotra allegedly visited Puri in September 2024 and came in contact with a YouTuber from the coastal town. (PTI) 

Pakistan's failed strike, which included drones and long-range missiles, was intercepted by a tightly coordinated defence shield deployed by the Indian Army before it could touch the Golden Temple, a senior military official said.

According to the Army, the Golden Temple was one of the primary targets in what officials are calling a "massive air assault" launched by Pakistan in the early hours of May 8.

The Indian Army's Air defence systems played a critical role in repelling Pakistan's misadventures. The Army on Monday showcased a demonstration of how Indian Air Defence systems, including AKASH missile system, L-70 Air Defence Guns, saved the Golden Temple in Amritsar and cities of Punjab from Pakistani missile and drone attacks. Read more.

Jyoti Malhotra, 33, runs a YouTube travel channel called Travel with JO, which has over 3.77 lakh subscribers. She was arrested on May 16 from her residence in New Aggarsain Extension, Hisar, and booked under Sections 3 and 5 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923, and Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. (With inputs from Bhavey Nagpal)

Indian Army's Major General Kartik C Seshadri, GOC, 15 Infantry Division told ANI, “After repeated defeats, Pakistan military is unable to face Indian military in conventional operations. It has conveniently outsourced its military tasks to proxies and terrorists." 

"Pak military posts often abet infiltration by firing onto own posts to distract and divert our attention away from infiltrating terrorists. We are well aware of the locations where, due to riverine terrain or inaccessible areas, the border fence is either weak or does not exist. We have converted these into killing grounds while punishing the aiding Pak military post by inflicting heavy casualties and damage with superior tactics and weapons. If any infiltration succeeds, then by integrated intelligence network along with the police and CAPF, the infiltrators are quickly neutralised by a combination of technology and tactics by our quick reaction teams..." he added. 

Schools and colleges in Rajouri district reopened on Monday after being closed because of shelling by Pakistan.

The schools were closed for safety as a precaution during the cross-border firing. Now that the situation has improved, the authorities have allowed classes to start again. The administration is still watching the situation carefully to keep students and staff safe. 

Following the understanding of the cessation of hostilities between India and Pakistan on May 10, life is gradually returning to normal in the Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir. Although caution and fear persist, locals have started reopening shops and resuming daily routines. (ANI)

Pakistan attempted to target the Golden Temple in Amritsar with drones and missiles on the intervening night of May 7–8 in retaliation against India’s strikes on nine terrorist sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, Major General Kartik C Seshadri, General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 15th Infantry Division, revealed on Monday. 

“Knowing that the Pak Army does not have any legitimate targets, we anticipated that they would target Indian military installations, civilian targets including religious places,” he told ANI. "Of these, Golden Temple appeared to be the most prominent,” he added. Read more.

The indigenously built BrahMos missiles destroyed Pakistan’s Chinese-supplied air defence systems during Operation Sindoor, Union home minister Amit Shah said on Sunday as he highlighted the success of India’s military action in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives.

“Pakistan’s air defence systems, borrowed from China, were destroyed by our BrahMos missiles that are made in India. Our Brahmos have given a strong reply to Pakistan,” Shah said while addressing an event in Ahmedabad as part of his two-day visit to Gujarat. 

Security forces foiled a terror plot in Telangana's Hyderabad on Sunday and arrested two men suspected of planning bomb blasts in the city. The accused, who were allegedly planning blasts in the city, have been identified as Siraj Ur Rehman (29) and Syed Sameer (28), said an NDTV report. 

The accused are believed to have ties to an ISIS module operating out of Saudi Arabia, the publication reported, citing officials. The two arrested men are currently in custody and will be produced before a court soon. Read more.

During an event in Indore on May 12, Madhya Pradesh minister Vijay Shah, in an apparent reference to Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, remarked, “Those who widowed our daughters, we sent a sister of their own to teach them a lesson.” He was referring to the Operation Sindoor carried out in response to the Pahalgam terror attack.

He also said, “The country’s honour and respect and the marital bliss of our sisters can be avenged by sending the sisters of your community to Pakistan.”

According to Hisar superintendent of police (SP) Shashank Kumar Sawan, Jyoti Malhotra had interacted with several high-profile individuals during her visits to Pakistan. "Even though her arrest happened recently, intelligence agencies were already monitoring her activities closely,” he said.

Investigators are also scrutinising her Indian contacts who may have introduced her to Pakistani intelligence operatives and helped facilitate her foreign travels. Her social media content is being analysed for clues about her network and intentions. (With inputs from Bhavey Nagpal)

Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force arrested a man in Moradabad for allegedly spying for Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence. The accused is a resident of Tanda in UP’s Rampur district.  The man, identified as Shahzad, was arrested after there were reports of him being involved in cross-border smuggling and spying as an agent for ISI, PTI reported.

Shahzad had allegedly been passing sensitive information related to national security to his handlers in Pakistan, said the Special Task Force. He had travelled to Pakistan on several occasions. Read more.

Two days after the arrest of Hisar-based YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra on charges of espionage, Hisar superintendent of police (SP) Shashank Kumar Sawan on Sunday said that Pakistani intelligence operatives (PIOs) were grooming her to become an asset.  He revealed that Malhotra had visited Pakistan several times, including a trip before the Pahalgam terror attack, and had also travelled to China.

Addressing a press conference, SP Sawan said central agencies had informed the Haryana Police that PIOs were actively recruiting social media influencers to promote soft narratives. Malhotra, who was arrested on Friday, has been remanded to police custody for five days. Read more.