UP visits of Hry YouTuber now under scanner of intel agencies

Varanasi: As the investigation progresses in the case of Jyoti Malhotra, the Haryana-based travel blogger and YouTuber who was arrested in Hisar, Haryana, on charges of spying for Pakistan, it has become clear that she frequently visited UP's prime pilgrimage sites, especially Kashi, Ayodhya, Prayagraj, and Vrindavan, over the past two to three years. The intelligence agencies in the state have also swung into action.All her videos uploaded on YouTube and other social media platforms showing her visits to prime pilgrimage sites, including Varanasi, Ayodhya, and Prayagraj, are being checked, especially to determine the timing of their shooting. An agency source mentioned that after this exercise, they will begin to identify the persons she met during her stay at these places.The exercises done so far are revealing that in the past six months, she visited Varanasi frequently, roaming places like the Kashi Vishwanath Temple and the ghats along the river Ganga. The videos shot by her during such trips show more girls accompanying her. Jyoti frequented Varanasi, especially between December 2023 and February 2025.Apart from her travel by bus to Varanasi from Delhi, she also uploaded videos shot inside Kashi Vishwanath Dham on her YouTube channel ‘Travel with Jo'. In a video she shot inside the Dham, she mentioned that during her last visit, the construction of the corridor was underway. In 2023, she made another video with the famous tea kiosk owner of the Chowk area. Her videos shot in Prayagraj during Maha Kumbh 2025 and other pilgrimage sites are being included in this exercise.Malhotra came under police radar for allegedly maintaining regular contact with Pakistani intelligence operatives and sharing sensitive information through social media platforms. Malhotra's YouTube channel features numerous videos from her visits to Pakistan, with titles such as ‘Indian Girl in Pakistan', ‘Indian Girl Exploring Lahore', and ‘Indian Girl at Katas Raj Temple'.