The official website of Army College of Nursing in Punjab was hacked on Friday amid a growing diplomatic rift between India and Pakistan. Religious ‘hacktivism’ group Team Insane PK has claimed credit and linked their efforts to the recent Pahalgam terror attack. The home page of the institute website was also modified with a message from the hackers — but other parts of the website remain functional with its original links and information.
“You are hacked!” began a message signed by ‘Team Insane PK’ on the Army College of Nursing website. The group also shared photos from the recent Pahalgam massacre to issue a call for Hindus to be killed while Muslims were ‘respected’.
“Our religion, customs and beliefs are miles apart and that makes us stronger. The two-nation theory was not just an idea, it’s the truth. We are Muslims, you are Hindus. Allah is with us. Your religion won’t save you, but it will be the cause of your death. We are just too superior and powerful,” the hacker group claimed.
According to earlier reports, Team Insane PK has been behind thousands of cyberattacks against Indian websites over the past few years. This included coordinated attacks against government and police websites ahead of the G20 Summit in 2023. The Pakistani group also hacked the website of Indian fast-food chain Burger Singh in February last year — leaving behind a digital graffiti wall — after being irked by a contentious promo code.
The militant attack has triggered outrage and grief in India — with many issuing calls for action against Pakistan. An offshoot of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba claimed credit for the attack on Tuesday — citing the need for a ‘demographic change’ as justification. The Resistance Front was formed online in 2019 following the abrogation of Article 370 and quickly evolved into a full-fledged terror group. It was declared a terrorist organisation under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in January 2023.
The neighbouring country however insists that it was not involved in the attack. The Pakistani Senate also passed a resolution on Friday rejecting India’s “frivolous and baseless attempts” to link the country with the Pahalgam terror attack.
