J&K: Village Defence Guards Open Fire On 'Suspicious Movement' In Rajouri

The Village Defence Guards opened fire in a village in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri after noticing 'suspicious movement' outside a house.

New Delhi: The Village Defence Guards (VDGs) in Jammu’s Rajouri district opened fire after noticing 'suspicious movement' in a village on Sunday, news agency PTI reported. No one was injured in the gunfire which took place around 4am in upper Dhangri. Earlier this year, terrorists had killed seven people in an attack in the village, officials said. 

As per the report, the VDGs fired around two dozen rounds upon noticing some suspicious movement outside a house in the village.

As a precautionary measure, the police and army launched a cordon and search operation in the village and adjoining areas.

Village Defence Guards

The Ministry of Home Affairs granted approval for the establishment of the Village Defence Guard Scheme-2022 in Jammu and Kashmir last year. It was officially implemented on August 15, 2022.

Formerly recognised as the Village Defence Committee, this initiative involved training volunteers from villages by the Indian Army and Police. Under this programme, VDC members were equipped with rifles to safeguard their communities, particularly in vulnerable villages situated in the mountainous areas of the Jammu region, protecting against terrorist attacks and related activities.

In January, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) decided to provide weapon-training to the Village Defence Committee (VDC) in the Union Territory, transforming them into village guards. The objective is to empower the Village Defence Guards (VDGs) to effectively protect villagers in an event of a terrorist attack, officials familiar with the development said.

Encounter in Rajouri’s Narla 

Earlier in September, security forces engaged in an encounter in the Narla area of Rajouri, resulting in the death of two terrorists. The shootout also claimed the lives of an Indian Army Colonel commanding a Rashtriya Rifles Unit, a Major, and a Deputy Superintendent of Police. The deceased officers were identified as Colonel Manpreet Singh, Major Ashish Dhonak, and DySP Humayun Bhat.

A six-year-old female labrador, named Kent, also laid down her life shielding her handler during the encounter. 

A joint operation by the Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police was launched to monitor and track the movement of two terrorists, officials had said.