The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has approved the replacement of obsolete .303 rifles with semi-automatic weapons for Village Defence Group (VDG) members. Additionally, the recruitment of more VDGs, especially youth, in terrorist-vulnerable areas has been sanctioned.
Officials confirmed to that some VDG members have already received semi-automatic weapons, with plans to extend this upgrade to all members gradually. This move aims to enhance the VDGs’ ability to confront terrorists equipped with advanced American M4 carbines and assault rifles.
“Initially, VDGs in vulnerable hilly areas suspected of harboring foreign terrorists will be equipped with semi-automatic weapons. Over time, all VDGs will receive upgraded arms,” officials stated. District police chiefs are tasked with providing adequate training for VDGs to handle the new weapons.
Furthermore, there is a strategic initiative to form more VDGs in hilly and terrorist-prone areas, with a preference for recruiting youth.
The Army, paramilitary forces, and local police have begun establishing permanent pickets in the mountains and other sensitive areas. Additional personnel, including police officers trained as para commandos, are being deployed to bolster security in these zones.
Permanent pickets are being established in Kathua, Udhampur, Doda, Kishtwar, Reasi, Rajouri, and Poonch districts. These pickets will operate 24/7 to monitor and counteract terrorist activities, containing Over Ground Workers (OGWs) supplying essentials to terrorists.
Officials revealed that while some pickets are already operational, others are in the process of being set up. The Ministries of Defence and Home Affairs have readjusted additional troops for this initiative.
Local police, familiar with the terrain, will play a crucial role in these operations. The goal is to eventually cover all vulnerable forest areas with permanent pickets, countering terrorist hideouts in natural caves.
Efforts are also underway to establish pickets on routes used by terrorists infiltrating from the International Border in Kathua and Punjab. Security forces aim to intercept infiltrators and block further incursions.
To enhance vigilance, security camps are being set up in other vulnerable areas beyond forests. Concurrently, Jammu and Kashmir Police is reinforcing its stations and posts in hilly regions, deploying trained recruits and experienced personnel to high-threat areas.
“Police stations and posts will receive adequate personnel and sophisticated weapons to combat terrorism effectively,” sources indicated. Locals are encouraged to report suspicious activities to bolster these efforts.
Additionally, police are intensifying actions against OGWs who facilitate terrorists. Significant arrests have already been made, targeting those aiding terrorists with logistics and guidance.