NEW DELHI: The Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) has issued a fresh set of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to protect security and police personnel from possible “honey-trapping” attempts allegedly carried out by intelligence operatives backed by Pakistan.
In an advisory sent to police and security units across the country, the BPR&D warned personnel not to reveal their official identity or sensitive work details on social media. Officials said hostile intelligence agents are creating fake online profiles to befriend and manipulate security staff and obtain confidential operational information.
The SOPs ask officers to reduce their online activity, keep personal accounts visible only to trusted contacts, and reject friend requests from unknown people. Personnel have also been told not to link personal and professional accounts and not to use social media for official communication.
The guidelines also stress strong cyber safety habits, including using unique passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, and regularly checking privacy settings. Officers have been advised to ignore and delete suspicious links, unknown apps, or unsolicited attachments that could compromise security, a senior official said.
According to the advisory, hostile intelligence agents are using platforms such as Facebook, X, Instagram, WhatsApp, Telegram and LinkedIn to target personnel. Many fake accounts pretend to be journalists, researchers, defence analysts or retired officials. In some cases, display pictures of “young, attractive women” are used to start personal or intimate conversations, a method now commonly linked to honey-trapping aimed at extracting sensitive information.
The SOPs also describe steps to be taken if an officer is suspected of being compromised. These include quickly seizing digital devices to prevent deletion of evidence and detailed questioning of the individual in coordination with the Intelligence Bureau and state police counter-intelligence units.
The advisory comes after earlier espionage incidents, including the 2018 arrest of a BrahMos Aerospace engineer accused of sharing technical data with a Pakistani operative, and the 2020 arrest of several personnel from the Indian Navy in a social media-linked espionage case. Reports in early 2026 also pointed to similar attempts, including an alleged case in Rajasthan involving sensitive information being shared across the border.