J&K Village Defence Committee members to get arms training from CRPF

New Delhi [India], January 9 (ANI): Considering recent incidents of targeted killings in Jammu and Kashmir, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) is planning to provide weapon training to Village Defence Committee (VDC) guards in the Union Territory, government officials said on Monday.

The aim is to make the VDC guards able to safeguard the villagers in case of any terrorist attack, said the officials, privy to the development. As per officials, the plan is in its initial stage as the modalities of the proposal are still under consideration. “From training schedule to variety of arms to be included during the training as well as the participants are among other points on which a detailed plan needed to be discussed.”

A CRPF official, requesting anonymity, told ANI that the weapons training for the VDC guards will help them secure several families from any territory attack, as well as fill a sense of security among the villagers.

The information comes days after, Lt Governor of Jammu Manoj Sinha on January 2 assured the people that they would get a Village Defence Committee on the lines of those in the Doda district. Sinha’s declaration came following demands of locals after militants killed seven people, including two children, in two days in the Upper Dangri village of Jammu and Kashmir last Sunday and Monday.

Ministry of Home Affairs had sanctioned approval for the creation of Village Defence Guard Scheme-2022 in Jammu and Kashmir last year which came into effect on August 15, 2022.

Earlier, this scheme was known as Village Defence Committe in which volunteers from villages were trained by Indian Army and Police. Under this scheme, rifles were provided to VDC and they protected their villages from terrorist attacks and terror-related activities especially the vulnerable villages in mountainous areas of the Jammu region. VDC members had helped Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police in the fight against Terrorism.

There was long demand by the VDC members that this committee should be more organized and there should be some decisions on their payments.