Srinagar, Jan 15 — Women have been inducted into Village Defence Groups (VDGs) across the hilly belts of Jammu, including the Chenab and Pir Panjal regions, with police saying many villages are left without able-bodied men during winter due to seasonal migration for work.
Superintendent of Police Bhaderwah Vinod Sharma said women volunteers have been trained and armed to help protect vulnerable villages.
“These women are equipped with .303 rifles after undergoing training provided by various security agencies,” Sharma told PTI.
“They are deployed in difficult terrain, often in isolated and vulnerable areas.”
He said the women train alongside male VDG members and take part in regular security duties.
“Training shoulder to shoulder with their male counterparts, these women remain resolute in defending their communities against threats,” he said.
“Their presence has strengthened local security arrangements, particularly during periods when villages face reduced manpower.”
“Harsh winters in Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban force many men to migrate to cities such as Delhi, Mumbai and Uttarakhand in search of work, leaving behind elderly residents and women,” Sharma said.
“This seasonal migration leaves several villages vulnerable to the activities of anti-national elements,” he said.
“To address this gap, the police have trained women as VDGs.”
He said women have shown strong commitment during training and operations.
“They are equally committed to the security and sovereignty of the country. They have performed exceptionally well and the results so far have been very encouraging,” he said.
Sharma said armed women VDG members are now seen patrolling villages in remote pockets of the three districts and taking part in joint training with the police and the Army.
Sharma also recalled Rukhsana Kausar, a Gujjar woman from Upper Kalsi in Rajouri, who in 2009 shot dead a Lashkar-e-Taiba militant and was later awarded the Kirti Chakra and inducted into the Jammu and Kashmir Police.