Representational image JAMMU: A village defence guard (VDG) opened fire after allegedly spotting a terror suspect in a remote village in J&K’s Rajouri district, even as security forces intensified surveillance in the upper reaches of Chenab region — Doda and Kishtwar districts — officials said Wednesday.Officials said the VDG fired about six rounds in the air upon allegedly sighting a terror suspect in Dali village in Rajouri’s Kalakote area late Tuesday. None was injured in the firing. “A joint team of the Army and police subsequently rushed to the spot and launched a search operation in the area, but found nothing suspicious,” an official said.A series of anti-terror operations was underway in the upper reaches of Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban districts in Chenab region, especially in areas bordering Udhampur and Kathua districts, officials said. Similar operations were also ongoing in the two frontier districts of Rajouri and Poonch, as well as Reasi, which shares a border with Rajouri-Ramban in Jammu Division and Kulgam in south Kashmir, said officials.Security forces were anticipating that terrorists hiding in non-habituated (higher reaches) may try to enter the mainland, in view of the closure of mountain passes, to get commodities. The intensified operations by Army’s Rashtriya Rifles and J&K Police’s SOG were also extended to a large area in Chenab region, said officials.The Army, meanwhile, stepped up efforts to strengthen grassroots security by imparting training to VDGs — the “first responders” in the security grid — in Doda district. On Tuesday, about 150 VDGs from 17 remote villages along Doda-Chamba border, including women volunteers, underwent intensive training in handling automatic rifles, minor tactics, self-defence, bunker construction and repelling enemy attacks, officials said. The training was being conducted at Shingini Panchayat in Bhalessa, around 90km from Doda district HQ, to equip volunteers with the necessary skills to protect their villages and act as the first line of defence, especially in vulnerable areas, an official said.Separately, a suspected Pakistani drone was spotted hovering briefly over Phulpur area near the International Border in Samba district late Tuesday. “Soon after the sighting, police and BSF personnel rushed to the spot and conducted a thorough search to ascertain whether any payload containing weapons or narcotics had been air-dropped, but found nothing on the ground,” an official said.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosKhaleda Zia’s funeral: EAM Jaishankar Hands Over Modi’s Letter To BNP Chief Tarique Rahman In DhakaThrowback 25: Five Indian Weapons That Crushed Terror And Dominated Pakistan in Operation SindoorTerror, Tariffs, Polls: PM Modi’s Mic-Drop Moments That Set The Agenda In 2025Top Moments Of 2025 When Indian Diplomats Took On Pakistan, Tore Apart Lies & Hypocrisy At UNThrowback 2025: Five Big Moments When India Defied Pressure And Delivered Diplomatic MasterstrokesAyodhya Faced Conspiracies But Sanatan Prevailed, UP CM Yogi Adityanath Says At Ram Temple EventIndia’s Backyard In Flux: Nepal’s Gen Z Revolt To Pakistan’s Court Chaos Shakes South Asia In 2025Army Trains Village Defence Guards In J&K In Automatic Rifles, Self-Defence | WatchLeT Deputy Saifullah Kasuri Admits India Hit Terror Camps, Threatens Kashmir After Op Sindoor StrikeTwist in Osman Hadi Murder Case: Prime Accused Blames Jamaat From Dubai, Clears India’s Role123Photostories10 South Indian breads that are so soulfulWalking through 2025: The year we put our best foot forwardSkip the crowds in 2026: 10 offbeat destinations in India for New Year travel5 relationship habits to inculcate in 2026 to make it the best year of your lifeFrom soldier to supermodel: 5 looks that made BTS’ V the ultimate fashion muse of 20258 traditional Bengali snacks that are best enjoyed during winterCustard apple: 5 benefits of this creamy seasonal fruit5 common foods that are unhealthy and their alternative usesMalala Yousafzai once said, “If we want to achieve our goal, then let us…”: 5 lessons it teaches studentsHrithik Roshan’s girlfriend Saba Azad’s luxe choga suit is the traditional trend to watch this season123Hot PicksSaudi Strike YemenPAN-Aadhaar link statusBank holiday New YearGold rate todayIncome Tax RefundBahrain Golden Visa 2025Bank Holidays DecemberTop TrendingJustin Thomas Net WorthLebron JamesCardi BAlex Rodriguez and Jaclyn Cordeiro Net WorthStefon DiggsCaitlin ClarkMatthew Stafford vs Drake MVPWest Bengal SIR DeathJake Paul and Jutta Leerdam Net WorthWorld Fourth Largest Economy
JAMMU: A village defence guard (VDG) opened fire after allegedly spotting a terror suspect in a remote village in J&K’s Rajouri district, even as security forces intensified surveillance in the upper reaches of Chenab region — Doda and Kishtwar districts — officials said Wednesday.Officials said the VDG fired about six rounds in the air upon allegedly sighting a terror suspect in Dali village in Rajouri’s Kalakote area late Tuesday. None was injured in the firing. “A joint team of the Army and police subsequently rushed to the spot and launched a search operation in the area, but found nothing suspicious,” an official said.A series of anti-terror operations was underway in the upper reaches of Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban districts in Chenab region, especially in areas bordering Udhampur and Kathua districts, officials said. Similar operations were also ongoing in the two frontier districts of Rajouri and Poonch, as well as Reasi, which shares a border with Rajouri-Ramban in Jammu Division and Kulgam in south Kashmir, said officials.Security forces were anticipating that terrorists hiding in non-habituated (higher reaches) may try to enter the mainland, in view of the closure of mountain passes, to get commodities. The intensified operations by Army’s Rashtriya Rifles and J&K Police’s SOG were also extended to a large area in Chenab region, said officials.The Army, meanwhile, stepped up efforts to strengthen grassroots security by imparting training to VDGs — the “first responders” in the security grid — in Doda district. On Tuesday, about 150 VDGs from 17 remote villages along Doda-Chamba border, including women volunteers, underwent intensive training in handling automatic rifles, minor tactics, self-defence, bunker construction and repelling enemy attacks, officials said. The training was being conducted at Shingini Panchayat in Bhalessa, around 90km from Doda district HQ, to equip volunteers with the necessary skills to protect their villages and act as the first line of defence, especially in vulnerable areas, an official said.Separately, a suspected Pakistani drone was spotted hovering briefly over Phulpur area near the International Border in Samba district late Tuesday. “Soon after the sighting, police and BSF personnel rushed to the spot and conducted a thorough search to ascertain whether any payload containing weapons or narcotics had been air-dropped, but found nothing on the ground,” an official said.