JAMMU, Jan. 4 -- With terror activities showing an upward tick in upper reaches of Jammu region, especially in Kathua, Udhampur, Doda, Kishtwar and Reasi districts since 2023, the village defence guards (VDGs) will be trained frequently in handling SLRs, 303 rifles and in other forms of self-defence in a phased manner, said people familiar with the development. "While army has started a training camp for the VDGs including women in Bhallessa area of Doda, such trainings by paramilitary forces will also be held in phased manner in the days to come in remote and hilly areas where security forces cannot reach in time," said a home department official, who declined to be named. He informed that VDGs along the Indo-Pak international border and LoC and in the hinterland will be trained afresh by the BSF and the army. "Though these trainings are a regular phenomenon in border belts and in remote and hilly villages, this year we plan to hold them frequently," he said. This winter, the army has already reworked its counter-terror strategy in Jammu region, with the new approach focusing on intensifying operations in the snow-clad higher reaches to tighten the noose around terrorists. A VDG, Ramesh Kumar, 43, of Dessa village in Doda district said, "Such training by army, police and other paramilitary forces are indispensable for us because we get to know about handling the weapons, aiming the target and other techniques of guerilla warfare." Kumar said that addition of SLRs have certainly given confidence to the VDGs in combating Pakistani terrorists. "We still have 303 rifles but addition of SLRs has added to our fire power. Now, we feel more confident of combating Pak terrorists, who are equipped with AK-47 rifles and M4 US carbines," he added. Another VDG Rajinder Kumar said, "Our training is based on weapon drills, night patrols, swift communication with nearest security check posts and emergency response to any contingency. Former DGP Dr SP Vaid said, "VDGs play a significant part in counter-terrorism operations. Given the emerging scenario, they need to be trained regularly." It may be stated here that following the terror attack in Dhangri village of Rajouri district on January 1, 2023, that left seven members of Hindu community dead, the Union home ministry had issued over 200 SLRs to the VDGs to effectively take on Pakistani terrorists. Jammu and Kashmir, according to an estimate, has 875 village defence committees (VDCs) with nearly 6,000 VDGs....