Proving useful against anti-national elements
*Delay in some cases due to land acquisitions
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 5: The Central and UT Governments have decided to further strengthen the Village Defence Groups (VDGs) and create more Border Police Posts (BPPs) to keep strict surveillance on the activities of anti-national elements during the winters.
“Some of the BPPs have been constructed and made fully operational while construction of some others is in progress. In some cases, delay has been caused by land acquisition but the process there too has been expedited and the task will be completed shortly,” officials told the Excelsior.
The Jammu and Kashmir Government has mooted construction of BPPs and strengthening of VDGs. The proposal was readily accepted by the Union Home Ministry.
“More BPPs will be approved as per requirement while VDGs are also being activated and equipped with weapons as per the requirement,” they said.
Situation has been near normal in five border districts of Jammu division including Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri and Poonch districts with no activity reported while there has been no lowering of guard by police and security forces.
Officials said in most of the border districts, 10-12 BPPs have been approved
“The BPPs have been turning out to be quite useful in keeping surveillance on activities of the anti-national elements,” the officials said, adding the district police chiefs have been asked to ensure early operationalization of remaining Border Posts.
The VDCs, which were rechristened as VDGs, have been further activated and are being given sophisticated weapons based on their requirements.
Focus on VDGs is in Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban districts though in Rajouri, Poonch, Kathua and Samba also; they too are playing their role with police and security forces.
“The concept of creation of BPPs is aimed at further strengthening the Border Grid. It will ensure that no adverse activities by the enemy succeed on the border. Be it infiltration, drone activities, illegal smuggling of weapons, pushing narcotics and currency besides arms, ammunition and explosives, all such activities have to be plugged at any cost,” sources said.
They added that in most of the cases; Army and BSF, deployed on LoC and International Border succeed in curbing the illegal activities. However, if infiltrators or Over Ground Workers (OGWs) carrying consignments cross the first line of defence, it has to be ensured that they don”t manage to breach border pickets.
Police has also been playing very crucial role in the forward areas and have actively thwarted activities of the anti-national elements including drone activities etc. though their numbers in Jammu has virtually come down to zero for past quite some time now. Drone activities have, however, increased in neighbouring Punjab.
A number of drones were earlier intercepted along the International Border in Jammu region. However, many consignments of arms, explosives, currency and narcotics recovered by police in the hinterland were found to have been dropped by drones on the borders and then picked up by the couriers for supplying them to the militants in different areas of Jammu and Kashmir.
Several such modules have been busted by police.
As already reported, a total of 4,153 Village Defence Groups (VDGs) and 32,355 Special Police Officers were engaged in Jammu and Kashmir in different responsibilities for the protection of civilians and anti-terror operations.
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