Suspicious call raises concern in Bathinda: Youth asked about Army Movement; Police begin probe

Bathinda, April 29: After the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, a suspicious phone call is going viral in Punjab. In the viral audio, a man pretending to be an accountant calls a youth from Bathinda and tries to get details about army activities near Bathinda Cantonment.

The caller first contacted the youth, named Shibham, via WhatsApp, saying he was from an institute and needed to return some “security fees”. However, during the conversation, he began asking about army movement in the cantonment and whether soldiers had been sent to the border.

Shibham replied that he no longer lives in Cantonment as his father, an army man, is retiring, and he doesn’t have any information. But the caller kept pushing for details, even asking about a military train. Suspicion grew when the caller spoke in a Pakistani accent and struggled with some Hindi words, switching often to English.

Bathinda Police have taken the matter seriously. SP (City) Narinder Singh confirmed the audio is being investigated by the cyber cell. the Police say that

1. It may be cyber fraud: The caller might be trying to trick people for money under the guise of an institute official.
2. The motive is unclear: Police say they can’t say for sure if the person was just a fraudster or someone trying to gather sensitive army information.
3. Investigation is on: Until the caller is identified, nothing can be confirmed. The cyber cell is working to trace him.

The police has been urged to stay alert and report any suspicious calls, especially those asking about army movements or personal details.