ISI backed hacker group which defaced 100s of govt sites busted

New Delhi, Apr 27: Two suspected "pro-Pakistan" Kashmiri hackers have been arrested by the Delhi Police's Special Cell from Punjab, a senior official said. The two, who claimed to have hacked over 500 Indian websites, have been identified as Shahid Malla, 28, and Adil Hussain Teli, 20, said PS Kushwah, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell).

Acting on a specific input, the duo was arrested on the intervening night of April 26 and 27 in raids at two locations in Punjab, the officer said. "As per their online activities and initial findings, the two were part of anti-national hacking group called 'Team Hackers Third Eye', and claimed to have hacked more than 500 Indian websites. They were also involved in educating Kashmiri youth to bypass state-imposed social media ban by use of VPN (virtual private network) during April-May 2017," he said. The duo was found to be in touch with several Pakistan-based anti-Indian hackers.

Some of those hackers are believed to be backed by Pakistani intelligence agencies, Kushwah said. The duo was found to be "pro-Kashmiri terrorism and pro-Pakistan" as they had made anti-India and seditious posts, the DCP said. Laptops, mobile phones, SIM cards, internet dongles and memory devices recovered from them will be examined by the Delhi Police in detail to ascertain their role in anti-state activities.

Malla is a second year B Tech student at a college in Rajpora, Punjab. He belongs to Baramulla district in Jammu and Kashmir and was staying at a rented accommodation in Sheetal Colony, Rajpura. Teli is a final-year BCA student at an institute in Jalandhar, Punjab. He belongs to Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir and was staying in a rented accommodation in a colony in Jalandhar.

PTI