NIT shocked at alumnus’ arrest in spying case

Vishal Joshi

Tribune News Service

Kurukshetra, October 9

The arrest of Nishant Aggarwal, a senior systems engineer with the BrahMos Missile Research Centre on charges of spying, has shocked its alma mater - the National Institute of Technology (NIT) here.

The 28-year-old engineer was reportedly arrested by the anti-terrorism squads of Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra on Monday from Nagpur on charges of spying for Pakistan's intelligence agency ISI and other countries.

He is suspected to have leaked sensitive data pertaining to the supersonic cruise missile, BrahMos, to his overseas handlers.

Aggrawal is working with BrahMos Aerospace, a joint venture between Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia's Military Industrial Consortium that works on India's supersonic cruise missile BrahMos, which can be launched from launched from land, air, sea and underwater.

Aggarwal was enrolled at the NIT in 2009 and passed out in 2013. Faculty members recall Aggarwal as a bright student.

“He was a gold medallist and a student of exceptional research capabilities. It is shocking to learn that Aggarwal is named in a highly sensitive case concerning national security. It is a sad day for us,” said Prof PC Tewari, a senior faculty member from the mechanical branch.

Another teacher, requesting anonymity, said Aggarwal was recently awarded the Young Scientist Award 2017-18 by the DRDO.

“He had the potential to make it big in his career. The allegations of leaking information of an important missile programme to an enemy country has jeopardised his life and profession,” the teacher said.