More than a week after a major terrorist attack in𒐪 Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri, authorities on Monday handed over self-l🍎oading rifles (SLRs) to the ex-servicemen acting as village defence guards (VDGs) in Dhangri village, officials said.
This is for the first time that the VDGs, who were earlier known as Village Defence Committee (VDC) ▨members, were given sophisticated rifles anywhere in the Jammu region, where they play a pivotal role in rooting out terrorism by standing shoulder-to-shoul💦der with police and other security agencies.
Earlier, the VDCs were only equipped with .303 rifles. There🤪 were demands for replacing the ou🐭tdated rifles with sophisticated weapons to tackle the threat of terrorism more effectively.
Seven people, including two children, were 🍃killed and 14 injured when the terrꦓorists attacked the village earlier this month.
The Jammu and Kashmir Police held a special camp in Dhangri on Monday. It was attended by Rajouri Deputy Commissioner V🌟ikas Kundal and Senior Superintendent of Police Mohammad Aslam, among others.
Around 40 ex-servicemen living in the area and identified by a panchayat-level committee were given SLRs along with 100 bullets each at the camp, the officials said, adding that most of these ex-servicemen had serv🐠ed in the Army and volunteered themselves to act as VDGs.
"We are thankful to the district administration for giving us the SLRs, which have a better firing range, and giving us an opportun𝔉ity to serve as VDGs," ex-serviceman Roshan Lal said.
He said all the VDGs, especially the ex-servicemen, are ready to work in coordination with t🌟he security 🤪forces to counter terrorists.
Sarpanch of Dhangri Dheeraj Sharma thanked Lieutenant Gover🎃nor Manoj Sinha's administration for fulfilling their demand.
He said during his visit to the village after the terror 💧attack, Sinha had promised to provide new weapons.
"Our demand is fulfilled.... Although the number of weapons is less than what was projected, we are still thankful. We expect that more w﷽eapons will be provided i♚n the coming times," Sharma said.
