Women members of Village Defence Guards (VDGs) are safeguarding remote villages of the Jammu region during the winter months, when many men migrate to other parts of the country in search of livelihood.
Equipped with .303 rifles after undergoing training by various security agencies, women VDGs are deployed in difficult terrain, often in isolated and vulnerable areas, Superintendent of Police, Bhaderwah, Vinod Sharma said.
Training shoulder to shoulder with their male counterparts, the women remain resolute in defending their communities against terrorist threats. Their presence has significantly strengthened local security arrangements, particularly during periods when villages face reduced manpower, the officer said, adding that women’s participation in village defence is not new to the region.
In September 2009, Rukhsana Kausar, a Gujjar woman from Upper Kalsi in Rajouri district, displayed exemplary bravery by shooting dead a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist. Her act earned her several national and state awards, including the Kirti Chakra, India’s second-highest peacetime gallantry award, besides a job in the Jammu and Kashmir Police.
“In the hilly Chenab region, particularly in Doda, harsh winters force many men to migrate to states such as Uttarakhand, Delhi and Mumbai for work. This seasonal migration leaves villages without able-bodied men, except for a few elderly residents, making them vulnerable to anti-national elements,” Sharma said.
To address this security gap, the police have trained women as VDGs. “They are equally committed to the security and sovereignty of the country. We train them in tactics and strategies to counter terrorist threats, and their performance has been very encouraging,” he added.
Dozens of armed women VDGs are patrolling remote pockets of Doda,
Kishtwar and Ramban districts, emerging as a reliable force to counter insurgency and protect their villages in the absence of male members. They are also undergoing regular training jointly conducted by the police and the Army in far-flung villages and hamlets, many of which are located in dense forests and remain vulnerable to militant activity.
“We are trained to fight terrorists and are ready to face the enemies of the nation,” said Shivani (21), a VDG from Civilli village in Gandoh tehsil of Doda district, bordering Himachal Pradesh.
The Doda region witnessed several massacres during the peak of militancy in the 1990s. The VDGs include both Hindu and Muslim members, including women, reflecting communal harmony, the officer said
