'Motorcycle reels, honey-trap missions': How JeM operative's girlfriend lured targets
A 22-year-old influencer from Jharkhand has been arrested for her alleged involvement in a Pakistan-linked terror module. Authorities claim she worked with her boyfriend to honey-trap influential figures and gather intelligence for Jaish-e-Mohammad handlers.
Why it matters
This case highlights the growing concern over how terror organizations are utilizing social media and digital platforms to recruit youth and conduct espionage.
KOLKATA: A 22-year-old aspiring influencer from Jharkhand — known online for reels of motorcycle rides and travel — has been arrested for her alleged role in a Pakistan-linked terror module, Bengal's Special Task Force (STF) said on Saturday. Arpita Sarkar allegedly helped her boyfriend, suspected Jaish operative Mohammad Hamim Mondal, build contacts with influential figures and honey-trap them on the module's instructions. Sarkar was picked up from Barharwa in Jharkhand's Sahibganj district, roughly 300 km from Kolkata, a day after Mondal's arrest from a gated housing complex in Burdwan. STF officers say she was an active member of the network and took instructions routed through Pakistani handlers. Digital trails led investigators to her. Officers said Instagram chats between Sarkar and Mondal formed the basis of her arrest. "She helped Hamim develop contacts with influential political figures and collect their details.
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