NEW DELHI — The Indian government’s crackdown on dissent and minority communities continues as several arrests have been made in the backdrop of recent actions in occupied Kashmir, where Muslim homes were bulldozed amid escalating tensions.
Shahzad, a businessman from Uttar Pradesh, was arrested by the Special Task Force (STF) on charges of spying for Pakistani agencies. According to officials, the arrest followed intelligence reports linking him to cross-border smuggling and covert espionage activities. Shahzad reportedly traveled frequently to Pakistan, smuggling items such as cosmetics, clothing, and spices as a cover for his alleged spying operations. Authorities accuse him of funding Pakistani spies within India, supplying them with Indian SIM cards, and recruiting operatives from Rampur and nearby areas.
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This arrest closely follows a similar case involving Haryana-based YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra, who runs the channel ‘Travel with JO.’ She was accused of sharing sensitive information with Pakistani intelligence—a charge critics dismiss as baseless.
In another notable development, Dr. Ali Khan Mahmudabad, an associate professor at Ashoka University, was detained after posting on social media critical remarks about India’s recent military Operation Sindoor. His call for transparency and accountability sparked backlash from the ruling party.
These arrests have triggered concerns among civil rights advocates, who warn that national security laws are increasingly being leveraged to curb free speech, academic freedom, and dissenting voices.
