Shimla/Dehra: Security agencies have heightened surveillance in Himachal Pradesh after two back-to-back incidents raised national security concerns — one involving a US citizen who was found roaming near a high-security Army zone in Shimla, and another involving a local youth arrested in Kangra for possessing objectionable content on his phone.
On May 28, a man identified as Prateek Stylom, a US passport holder of Indian origin and resident of Sector-45, Noida, was seen moving suspiciously near the Army Headquarters Track Command (ARTEAC) in Shimla.
According to Army Intelligence sources, Stylom was seen asking Army personnel specific and sensitive questions such as the identity of the Army commander and the number of officers posted in the area.
CCTV surveillance footage enabled intelligence personnel to track him. He was picked up on Friday and subjected to joint interrogation.
Stylom, who currently resides in Room 307 at Hotel Prestige in Shimla, claimed he works as a briefer for Coca-Cola and has traveled to 64 countries, including Pakistan in 2005 and China in 2008. His father, a Colonel in the Indian Army’s 62nd Field Commission, reportedly died in 2022 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Although his line of questioning raised eyebrows, no objectionable material has so far been recovered from him. Army Intelligence has handed him over to Sadar Police Station, and further inquiry is ongoing.
In a separate incident, the Dehra Police in Kangra district arrested Abishek Singh, a 20-year-old youth from Sukahar village, after objectionable content deemed sensitive to national security was allegedly found on his mobile phone.
Superintendent of Police Mayank Choudhary confirmed that the youth, a college dropout, had been under surveillance following a tip-off.
He was arrested on Wednesday after a raid at his house. He was produced in court the following day, where he was remanded in police custody.
“Further investigation is underway, and action will be taken as per law,” SP Choudhary said.
