x

Like our Facebook Page

   
Early Times Newspaper Jammu, Leading Newspaper Jammu
 
Breaking News :   Doctors - The Unsung Heroes of Healthcare | WHEN RS 10 FEELS EXPENSIVE ON A CART, BUT NOT IN A CAFE | Urdu For Naib Tehsildar Recruitment Test | Yatri Niwas in Srinagar | LG Sinha inaugurates SASB Yatri Niwas at Pantha Chowk | LG launches campaign for zero-waste pilgrimage | 'Amarnath Yatra arrangements upgraded' | Heroin worth Rs. 420 crore seized in Rajasthan; Pak-based smuggler, Canada handler named | Within minutes after formation of PAC, NC mocks Sajad Lone’s new political front as ‘BJP’s B-Team’ | CM Omar calls for revival of buyer-creator relationship at SKICC Meet | Salal Dam gates opened amid rising Chenab Water levels | DGP chairs joint security review meeting in Anantnag, visits key areas | Major reshuffle in ACB J&K | From warzone to homeland: Kashmiri students hail India’s rescue mission with tricolour cheers | Security Forces bolster security with hi-tech gadgets | Token distribution for registration begins | Security Forces conduct joint mock drill | India woman footballer Soumya undergoes surgery after nasal bone fracture | Lack of variety in India's bowling attack is concerning: Chappell | National-level minor boxer alleges sexual harassment by woman coach | | MCM launches workshop on Skill Development, Entrepreneurship | GDC Kathua honours NCC Cadet Mohit Kanathia with grand welcome ceremony | Missing person traced from Pallanwala within 2 days | JKHCBAJ unveiles Portrait of Maharaja Hari Singh ji, inaugurated | Four JKAS Officers transferred In Transport Dept Reshuffle | J&K police arrest 87 in drug crackdown, seize narcotics worth Rs 2.42 Cr | Gross GST collections double in 5 years to record Rs 22.08 trillion in FY25 | Srinagar police attaches residential property worth Rs 50 lakh | SKUAST-K holds workshop in Gurez to promote revival of heritage crops | Reasi police solves two theft cases in Katra, accused arrested, stolen property | Union Minister Piyush Goyal to lead transformative FTII Traders conclave | Congress holds impressive Jai Hind Yatra in Poonch City, salutes armed forces, martyrs | Warm, affectionate farewell accorded to retirees of Agriculture Department Jammu | DC Shopian inspects work of rural development projects at Keller | Former JKNPP leaders, senior workers join Apni Party | Committee on Petitions holds meeting in Srinagar | 6000 students participate in NMMSS examination | Ladakh PM Vishwakarma artisans participate in MSME Day celebration | Vi Business’s ready for next - India’s largest digital advisory celebrates growth on MSME day | Indian Army pays tribute to Ex-Serviceman | Civil Defence, Jammu started 5 days CD training programme | Warm send off accorded to Sardar Dharminder Singh Bhargav Head Pharmacist from DHS-J | JKEDI concludes second batch of MDPs in 10 districts | Handicrafts, Handloom Deptt condoles demise of father of Mussrat Islam | IGNOU launches certificate programme for Nurse Managers to Strengthen Managerial Competencies in Nursing Services | Back Issues  
 
news details
Couples enter wedlock under VDG protection in terror-hit Doda
8/4/2024 10:21:32 PM

Early Times Report

DODA/JAMMU, Aug 4: As Zail Singh and Ravita Devi entered a wedlock in a remote village in Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda, Village Defence Guards (VDGs) stood guard to ward off any threat from terrorists who have infiltrated from across the border and are believed to be hiding in the higher reaches of the hilly district.
Hailing from Gadan village of Bhagwah Panchayat, Singh in his mid-20’s performed the marriage rituals with Devi as per already decided dates last week despite his area witnessing a fierce gunfight between terrorists and security forces for several hours on July 9.
Doda in Jammu region was rocked by several terror incidents since June 12, which was seen as an attempt by Pakistan-based terror handlers to revive terrorism in the district after remaining peaceful for over 18 years. On July 27, the police released sketches of three terrorists responsible for several attacks, including the one on an army search party in Dessa forest that left four soldiers including a captain dead on July 15.
“The back-to-back terror attacks have sparked panic among the people. This is the marriage season, so we are coming forward to ensure that people celebrate their important occasions without the shadow of terror,” 55-year-old VDG member Bharat Singh, a resident of Gadan village, said.
He said the VDGs have provided security for a few marriage ceremonies in the village and adjoining areas and are will be doing so for several other functions which are in pipeline as “people feel safe” by their presence.
Besides the deadly encounter in Dessa forest, the terrorists also injured at least 10 security personnel in separate attacks at Chattergalla pass, Gandoh, Kastigarh and Ghadi Bagwah forest between June 12 and July 18.
Three terrorists were killed in a day-long operation in the Gandoh area of the district on June 26, while the search is on to neutralize other splinter groups hiding in the dense forests.
The VDG member said Zail Singh’s father Karan Singh is a special police officer (SPO), so the threat from terrorists was felt more for this function.
“We not only provided protection to the family in the village b
Zail Singh and Ravita Devi entered a wedlock in a remote village in Doda as VDGs stood guard to ward off any threat from terrorists.
Doda in Jammu region was rocked by several terror incidents since June 12, which was seen as an attempt by Pakistan-based terror handlers to revive terrorism in the district.
On July 27, the police released sketches of three terrorists responsible for several attacks.
This is the marriage season, so we are coming forward to ensure that people celebrate their important occasions without the shadow of terror,” 55-year-old VDG member Bharat Singh, a resident of Gadan village, said.
t also accompanied the ‘bhaarat’ till Deoli village enroute to Koti, some 25 km from Gadan. We returned from halfway after another VDG party took over the charge,” he said.
Recalling past terror attacks on villagers in the district between 1995 and 2006 which claimed a number of lives, Bharat Singh said the VDGs who were earlier known as village defence committees (VDCs) are protecting their villages round-the-clock and had voluntarily come forward to provide protection to families celebrating marriage of their children.
In 2022, the policy of VDCs was revamped by the home ministry and Village Defence Groups were introduced, members of whom are called Village Defence Guards. It was not only the name, the structure of the committees was also changed. Unlike VDCs where only SPOs were paid, all VDGs are now paid.
According to the annual report of the Ministry of Home Affairs for 2022-23, 4,153 Village Defence Groups (VDG) and 32,355 SPOs were engaged in Jammu and Kashmir in different responsibilities for the protection of civilians and anti-terrorists operations under the direct supervision of district superintendents of police or senor superintendents of police.
However, Singh said they are still waiting for replacement of their .303 rifles and monthly remunerations.
“We have been given more members after the recent encounters (with terrorists) and report our duties to police,” he said, adding the presence of terrorists meant loss of earning opportunities for them as they “mostly work as labourers” and the challenging situation did not let them leave their areas unprotected.
Meanwhile, speaking at a function on Saturday, Ajay Sharma, Superintendent of Police, Jammu (South), asked people to note down specific descriptions of any suspicious person moving in their areas.
“If anyone sees any suspicious person, please note down descriptions like his height, age, dressing, armed or unarmed and whether the person is trying to hide his identity,” he said at a function here.
He also urged people to use their smartphones and pin that area where the suspect was noticed so that it could act as a reference point for the security forces.
  Share This News with Your Friends on Social Network  
  Comment on this Story  
 
 
 
Early Times Android App
STOCK UPDATE
  
BSE Sensex
NSE Nifty
 
CRICKET UPDATE
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
Home About Us Top Stories Local News National News Sports News Opinion Editorial ET Cetra Advertise with Us ET E-paper
 
 
J&K RELATED WEBSITES
J&K Govt. Official website
Jammu Kashmir Tourism
JKTDC
Mata Vaishnodevi Shrine Board
Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board
Shri Shiv Khori Shrine Board
UTILITY
Train Enquiry
IRCTC
Matavaishnodevi
BSNL
Jammu Kashmir Bank
State Bank of India
PUBLIC INTEREST
Passport Department
Income Tax Department
JK CAMPA
JK GAD
IT Education
Web Site Design Services
EDUCATION
Jammu University
Jammu University Results
JKBOSE
Kashmir University
IGNOU Jammu Center
SMVDU