Srinagar, Nov 07: Two Village Defence Guards (VDGs) were shot dead by terrorists in the Munzla Dhar forests of Kishtwar district, Jammu division, after being abducted from a nearby forest area, police said.
The victims have been identified as Nazir Ahmed, son of Mohd Khalil, and Kuldeep Kumar, son of Amar Chand, both residents of Ohli Kuntwara in Kishtwar. The duo, who were shepherds, were grazing their sheep when they were abducted by the terrorists.
A top police officer confirmed to Rising Kashmir that a massive search operation has been initiated after the bodies of two Village Defence Guards (VDGs) were discovered in the dense forests of Munzla area in Kishtwar district.
The officer revealed that both victims had recently undergone training with security forces before being inducted into the VDGs, and were armed with SLR rifles to prevent any terrorist incidents. The area is situated in the upper reaches, surrounded by dense forests, which has made the search operation challenging.
According to the officer, the two VDG members had gone to graze their cattle in the same forest on Wednesday but did not return by evening. Their bodies were later found in the nearby forests.
“We have launched a massive search operation in the area and more reinforcements have already reached the spot and drones, sniffer dogs’ squads are deputed to trace the terrorists,” he said.
A police officer said that the challenging, high-altitude terrain in the Munzla area of Kishtwar was complicating efforts to neutralize the terrorists responsible for the killings of two Village Defence Guards (VDGs). Due to the difficult conditions, the search operation is expected to take longer.
The Special Operations Group (SOG) of the police, along with Army and CRPF teams, have been deployed for the operation. “Searches are underway, and all routes have been closed. The area has been put on high alert,” the officer added.
This attack follows a similar incident on April 28, when a VDG member, Mohammad Shareef, 48, was killed in an exchange of fire with terrorists in Panara village, Udhampur district. Mohammad Shareef was a resident of Lower Ponar, Basantgarh, Udhampur.
The Village Defence Committees (VDCs) were reactivated and renamed as Village Defence Guards (VDGs) in the wake of a deadly terrorist attack on a village in Rajouri’s Dagri area in 2023, which claimed the lives of seven people.
Originally formed in 1995, the VDCs were established across 10 districts in the Jammu region amid escalating violence and frequent attacks on minority groups, particularly during the Kashmir conflict. At that time, local residents volunteered to join the committees, which were provided with weapons to protect their villages.
However, as violence decreased over the years, the VDCs were disbanded, and members were required to surrender their weapons to the local police. Approximately 26,567 locals had joined these committees. Over time, however, the committees came under scrutiny due to around 160 criminal cases involving their members, leading to growing public skepticism.
Meanwhile, JKNC President Dr Farooq Abdullah and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah have condemned the gruesome killing of two village defence guards in Kishtwar namely Nazir Ahmad and Kuldeep Kumar, in a forest area.
They have said that such acts of barbaric violence remain a significant impediment in achieving long lasting peace in J&K. In this hour of grief, their thoughts and prayers are with the families of the deceased, spokesman said.
