BSF fortifies village guards initiative with arms training for Jammu border residents

Post Operation Sindoor, the Border Security Force has started arms training for village defence guards (VDGs) along the Jammu border with Pakistan. The civilians residing in border villages are being trained as the “second line of defence” in the wake of infiltration by terrorists and terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, a senior government official said on Thursday (May 29, 2025).

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has also sanctioned the deployment of more than 52,000 Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) personnel for the Amarnath Yatra commencing on July 3. As many as 581 companies, each comprising 90-100 personnel, will be deployed for the security of the pilgrimage, which concludes on August 9, 2025. This will be one of highest deployments of security personnel in the area in at least the past three years.

The yatra route is close to the Baisaran meadow in Kashmir Valley’s Pahalgam, which witnessed a deadly terror attack on April 22, 2025 that left 26 civilians dead.

Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Director-General G.P. Singh has been camping in J&K to review security preparedness. Home Minister Amit Shah is set to review the arrangements during his two-day visit to Jammu and Poonch on Thursday (May 29, 2025) and Friday (May 30, 2025).

The VDG initiative was revived in 2022 in the Jammu belt after a gap of more than 20 years in the wake of a resurgence of terrorist activity in the region. In the past three years, more than 22 civilians have been killed in targeted terrorist attacks in the Jammu region, which includes the Chenab Valley, Kathua-Samba and areas south of the Pir Panjal comprising Rajouri and Poonch districts.

The official told The Hindu that the VDGs can act as “force multipliers” in cases of emergency and initially, training will be provided in villages that lie between the International Boundary (IB) and National Highway-44 in Jammu.

Since 2022, the J&K Police have provided semi-automatic weapons to the VDGs to act in self-defence. When the scheme to arm civilians was first started in 1995 in 10 districts of Jammu, as members of the Hindu community were targeted and killed by terrorists, the civilians were provided with .303 rifles.

“The J&K Police have identified residents who are to be imparted training. They can be the first responders in case of terror attacks. Other than basic arms training, we are sharing tactical knowledge with the VDGs. In case of an encounter with terrorists, with whatever basic weapons they have, the civilians will be able to contain them and prevent their escape,” said the official.

The BSF is organising “firing practice” camps close to its border outposts so that the residents get confident in handling weapons.

“In case an infiltration takes place, the armed residents can act as eyes and ears on the ground. Refresher training will be conducted after a couple of months,” said the official, adding that this was the first time the BSF has been engaged. The CRPF and J&K Police had provided arms training to civilians in Rajouri and Poonch areas earlier.

On Thursday (May 29, 2025), the BSF-Jammu posted on X, “On 29 May, 2025, a three-day training program for VDGs began in Samba’s border villages, Galar, Chak Faquira, Khanpur and Suchetpur. The program focusses on building skills to safeguard communities, boost situational awareness and counter security threats effectively.”

On March 23, 2025, locals spotted unidentified terrorists in Kathua, a few kilometres from the border, following which security forces had launched an operation. Two terrorists and four policemen were killed after a fierce encounter in the Kathua forests on March 27, 2025.

The 192-km International Boundary (IB) along Jammu is secured by the BSF while the 740-km Line of Control (LoC), the effective border in the Kashmir Valley and parts of Jammu, is under the operational control of the Army.

In the 1990s, around 30,000 weapons were distributed in various phases to civilians in Poonch, Rajouri, Samba, Doda and Kishtwar districts by the local administration when militancy was at its peak in J&K. The scheme was discontinued amid allegations of crimes, such as abduction and rape, committed by the members.

A parliamentary committee was recently informed by the External Affairs Ministry that at least 24 terrorist-initiated incidents were reported in 2024 and more than 30 civilians were killed.

Published - May 30, 2025 12:43 am IST