Jaish-e-Mohammed expands marriage trap tactic to recruit vulnerable Indian women: Intel
New Delhi, July 13
In October 2025, the Jaish-e-Mohammed set up its first women's wing led by Sadiya Azhar, the sister of the outfit's chief Masood Azhar. The main aim of the wing was recruitment, radicalisation, and eventually to build a Fedayeen squad.
The wing, known as Jamaat-ul-Mominaat (JuM), has been actively radicalising both men and women in Pakistan. Intelligence agencies have now learnt that a new modus operandi is in play so far as its India operations are concerned.
An Intelligence Bureau official said that the JuM is now trapping Indian women online. It is a sort of trap that the JuM has set for gullible women. The outfit has a set of youth who trap Indian women online and lure them into marriage, the official said. The trap is often set on women who live in the bordering areas so that it is easy for these women to cross over into Pakistan, the official said.
The plan is to ensure that these women enter Pakistan and then get married. The women who get trapped are given the impression that they are entering into a legitimate relationship. Once in Pakistan, they are brainwashed, and then attempts would be made to send them back to India.
An official said that once these women are sent back to India, they are expected to gather information relating to sensitive locations. Although this is not a new phenomenon for the Jaish-e-Mohammed, the scale at which they are planning this operation is alarming.
Earlier, such drives would be undertaken in Jammu and Kashmir. However, now the focus has shifted to Rajasthan, considering the state shares a long border with Pakistan. Rajasthan shares a 1,070 km long border with Pakistan, which runs from Hindumal Kot in Sri Ganganagar to Shahgarh in Barmer.
A lot of social media activity has been reported in these areas. Many girls have been identified, and they are being contacted on social media by the ISI-backed elements. The handlers do plenty of scanning of profiles before starting to set a trap.
Vulnerable girls who have social issues, poor family ties, and those who are lonely are the targets of these elements. Such women are vulnerable, and owing to their loneliness, they can be easily lured with the promise of marriage, a good life, and companionship.
The Jaish-e-Mohammed handlers spend hours talking to these women on a daily basis. These conversations usually go on for over six months before the offer of marriage is made. Officials say that these women do not understand what they are signing up for, and once in Pakistan, there is no turning back.
An official said that all through the courting period, these women are never asked sensitive questions or information about key locations. They are made to believe that what is taking place is normal courtship.
The official said that once a woman agrees to get married, she is asked to obtain a valid passport. If crossing into Pakistan through the Rajasthan border is possible, then this is the most preferred option. If not, they are asked to take the Nepal route, and then a tout would be assigned to help them cross over to Pakistan. The other route they are told to take is through Saudi Arabia. Once in Saudi Arabia, the Jaish-e-Mohammed touts are told to assist these women reach Pakistan, the official said.
Officials say that this is the most deceptive way of recruiting women. They are gullible and vulnerable and hence walk into the trap quite easily. The official said that not all women are expected to return to India and gather information. This is also part of a larger drive to build up a huge network for the JuM. Once recruited into the JuM, the task of these women would be to reach out to other women and youth in India and rope them into these terror groups, the official added.
— IANS
Reader Comments
This is heartbreaking but also infuriating. These girls are being exploited at their most vulnerable moments. The government needs to run special awareness campaigns in border districts and strengthen cyber cell monitoring of such activities. Also, why is Pakistan still allowed to operate such terror networks? 🤷♀️
As someone who works in cybersecurity, I can tell you this isn't just a problem for India. Online radicalisation is a global issue. But the marriage trap tactic targeting vulnerable women is particularly sinister. India's intelligence agencies need more resources to track these operations.
Our girls need to be educated about these tactics from a young age. In many border villages, internet access has increased but digital literacy hasn't kept up. Schools and community centres should conduct regular sessions on online safety. This is our responsibility as a society. 🙏
While I understand the concern, I worry about the narrative here. Not every woman who marries someone from across the border is a victim or a potential threat. We should focus on supporting vulnerable individuals with better social services rather than just surveillance.
As a woman living in a border area, I can confirm these tactics are real. A friend of mine was approached by someone on Instagram who claimed to be an NRI. Thankfully she was suspicious and reported it. The police should also do more patrols and community outreach in sensitive zones. 🚨
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.