Amid reports that Pakistan is making desperate attempts to push terrorists across the border, special teams of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, the Indian Army, and the Border Security Force (BSF) are imparting three-tier specialised training to Village Defence Group (VDG) members to prepare them as first responders.
At the District Police Lines (DPL), Jammu, 85 VDG members from remote border villages in the Arnia, R.S. Pura and Kanachak areas are undergoing intensive training in handling automatic rifles, basic tactical maneuvers, self-defense, bunker construction, and methods to repel enemy attacks.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Joginder Singh, who inaugurated the special training program, told International Business Times that imparting such training to VDG volunteers is essential to strengthen security in the border areas of Jammu district. He said the enemy's nefarious designs to push terrorists into Indian territory would be effectively foiled with the active involvement of border residents.
The SSP appreciated the role of VDGs in strengthening internal security, particularly along the border grid in Jammu district. He added that enhancing the capabilities of VDGs is part of a multi-layered security strategy aimed at ensuring long-term peace in the region.
Youth from border villages located close to the International Border—where threats of infiltration, drone drops, and tunneling remain high, especially during winter months due to foggy weather—are being trained to counter enemy designs.
The training program is being conducted at DPL Jammu by specialized trainers, including personnel from the Special Operations Group (SOG), with the objective of equipping VDG members to safeguard their villages and act as first responders in vulnerable areas during emergencies.
VDG members have welcomed both the training initiative and the recent upgrade of their weaponry. They expressed gratitude for the allotment of self-loading rifles (SLRs), which have replaced the older .303 rifles, significantly boosting their confidence.
This major training programme, involving 85 VDG members, focuses on weapon handling, bunker construction, tactical awareness, and building self-confidence. The training being imparted has instilled a renewed sense of confidence among the volunteers. With the induction of automatic and semi-automatic weapons, VDG members now feel better equipped to defend their villages.
Over the past three years, terrorist encounters have been reported in almost all districts of the Jammu division, except Ramban. Terrorist activity in remote and inaccessible areas of districts such as Kishtwar, Udhampur, and Kathua continues to pose a significant challenge to security forces.
As local villagers are often the first to reach such sites before security forces arrive, strengthening the VDGs has become essential. Under the training programme, VDG members are being equipped to use semi-automatic weapons such as SLRs and to provide a quick and effective response in the event of a terrorist attack.
The process of appointing Village Defence Committees—now known as Village Defence Groups—was initiated in Jammu and Kashmir in 1995, when terrorism was at its peak, with the objective of preparing villagers for self-defence. In 2022, the Ministry of Home Affairs renamed VDCs as VDGs and introduced significant changes to address emerging security challenges. Members were provided with modern and semi-automatic weapons.
Currently, 875 VDCs have been formed, comprising over 6,000 members. Each VDG consists of 10 to 15 members, with one group in each village.
Key Components of the Training
- Weapon handling: Training in the use of modern firearms and accurate aiming.
- Rapid response: Preparing VDG members for effective retaliation in the event of a terrorist attack.
- Technological surveillance: Identifying advanced threats such as drones and immediately reporting them to security agencies.
