File photo of members of village defence committee aiming at targets during training.
Jammu- The CRPF is giving arms training to Village Defence Groups (VDGs) personnel in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir for their self defence against militant attacks and has given training to 948 of them last month, Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said on Wednesday.
The move came after two back-to-back terrorist attacks in the district last month. Seven people were killed and 14 injured as terrorists attacked Dhangri village in Rajouri on January 1. While five people, including two brothers, were killed after the terrorists opened fire at some houses, two children died when an improvised explosive device (IED) left behind by the attackers went off the next day.
“The CRPF has imparted necessary training to 948 VDG members in collaboration with district police Rajouri from January 6, 2023 to January 25, 2023,” he said in a written reply to a question of BJP member Sushil Kumar Modi.
The minister said at present, the sanctioned strength of VDGs is 4,985, of which 4,153 VDGs have been constituted and the Ministry of Home Affairs last year had decided that there would be not more than 15 members in each VDG.
The persons who shall be heading or coordinating the VDGs in the “more vulnerable areas” shall be paid Rs 4,500 per month and the person who are members of the VDGs on voluntary basis shall be paid a uniform rate of Rs 4,000 per month, he said.
The VDGs shall consist of following categories: those in possession of a valid arms licence and to whom weapons have been provided by the Jammu and Kashmir police, determined by the District Magistrate or Senior Superintendent of Police concerned, keeping in view the credentials of the volunteers’, population of the village, its location and security requirement, persons in possession of valid licence and weapons or willing to purchase weapons on their own, Rai said.
Police Announces Rs 10L Reward For Info On Assailants
Meanwhile the Jammu and Kashmir Police has said that militants involved in the Dhangri village attack are hiding in the upper reaches of Rajouri district and announced a reward of Rs 10 lakh for anyone providing information about them.
In an advisory issued on Tuesday night, police also warned of stern action against those facilitating the terrorists in any way.
On Sunday, Dhangri residents expressed concern over the “failure” of security agencies in tracing the terrorists behind the attacks in the village. They threatened to go on a hunger strike if the security agencies are unable to eliminate the militants within the next 15 days.
“The terrorists who engineered the attack in Dhangri village… are still hiding in the hills of Rajouri. They can engineer a terror incident again,” police said.
“There are a few people who are facilitating the movement and survival of these terrorists besides providing them information on the movement of police and (security) forces,” they said.
A close vigil is being kept on these “terror facilitators” and stern legal action will be taken against them very soon, they added.
“Rs 10 lakh and other rewards will be given to anyone who will share information about the terrorists. The name of the informer will be kept secret,” police said.
Appealing to people to remain alert, they said, “Peace is a prerequisite for development and people should cooperate with police in maintaining peace in all possible ways.”
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is probing the Dhangri attack. Police and security forces are conducting massive operations in Rajouri to track the attackers.
Over 120 operations have been conducted in the last five weeks, according to officials.
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