Spies in our midst: Intel agencies must step up vigil

THEY are the enemies within. Shocking details of their involvement in treason are coming to light amid the India-Pakistan conflict. The arrest of at least 12 persons from Haryana, UP and Punjab, suspected of having links with Pakistan’s spy agency ISI, is a grim reminder that our law enforcement and intelligence agencies cannot afford to let their guard down. It’s a lethal cocktail of espionage and anti-India propaganda that can imperil national security as well as communal harmony. For instance, Haryana-based social media influencer Jyoti Malhotra was allegedly in touch with a staffer at the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi when Operation Sindoor was in progress last week. An ongoing probe has revealed that she visited Kashmir before the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and travelled to Pakistan previously. She is accused of passing on sensitive information to her handlers across the border. Shahzad and Nauman Ilahi, both from UP, are facing similar charges.