Village guard shot dead by terrorists in J&K district

A 48-year-old village defence guard (VDG) was killed in an encounter with terrorists in Jammu & Kashmir’s Udhampur district on Sunday, police officials said.

HT launches Crick-it, a one stop destination to catch Cricket, anytime, anywhere. Explore now!

The incident took place around 7.45 am in the upper reaches of Chochru Gala heights in Basantgarh area, when police launched a search operation following inputs about the possible presence of terrorists in the area. The deceased was identified as Mohammad Sharief, son of Abdul Rehman of Lower Ponar village.

“After receipt of inputs regarding movement of suspicious individuals late Saturday evening, J&K Police activated the security grid in Basantgarh police station limits. Today (Sunday) morning, a party of police picket Sang, carrying along with them VDG members, proceeded towards Chochru Gala heights where a face-off ensued with a group of hiding terrorists,” a senior police officer said, seeking anonymity.

“One village defence guard member was injured in the initial exchange of fire. The injured VDG member Mohammad Sharief later succumbed to injuries. The operation to trackdown the terrorists is on,” the officer added.

The VDGs comprise local village volunteers. They were first active in the 1990s in several districts and played a significant role in self defence, assisting forces in counter-terrorism operations and maintaining vigil in respective border villages. They remained inactive for several years thereafter. However, in January last year, they were reissued weapons by the administration and provided arms training by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) after a twin terror attack in Dhangri in Rajouri district killed seven people.

The officer quoted above said that the Special Operations Group of police along with the army and the CRPF were rushed to the area to strengthen the cordon and neutralise the terrorists. “The operation is going on,” the officer said.

The incident came a week after a government employee, also a brother of a Territorial Army jawan, was shot dead in a targeted attack by terrorists in Rajouri’s Shahdara Sharief area on April 22, four days before the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections in Jammu constituency.

The attack came close on the heels of two non-locals being shot dead in Anantnag and Herpora districts, respectively. A migrant worker from Bihar was shot dead by terrorists in a targeted attack in Anantnag district on April 17, just a week after a resident of Dehradun was shot at by terrorists in south Kashmir’s Herpora.

• ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  

  A principal correspondent, Ravi Krishnan Khajuria is the bureau chief at Jammu. He covers politics, defence, crime, health and civic issues for Jammu city.