Amid ongoing training to village guards in J&K, a volunteer’s son killed in ‘accidental firing’

As Jammu & Kashmir is imparting training to hundreds of locals as Village Defence Guards (VDGs), a family member of a local volunteer, who offered to guard villages from militants, was killed in ‘accidental’ firing in Jammu’s Kishtwar district.

The incident came to the fore at a time when hundreds of locals were being trained by the Army and the police in the Chenab Valley and the Pir Panjal valley in the Jammu division.

The victim has been identified as Anuj Kumar, 16, son of VDG member Pyare Lal, a resident of Loyee Dhar village of Mughal Maidan, Kishtwar. The incident took place on Saturday (January 10, 2025) evening around 9:30 p.m. when Mr. Lal, father of the victim, was reportedly cleaning the automatic rifle. Initial reports suggested the rifle went off accidentally and a bullet hit Kumar.

The police have conducted the post-mortem of the victim, who was studying in Class 10. Officials said an inquest proceeding was underway to ascertain the circumstances leading to the firing. The weapon was also seized.

Meanwhile, in the Pir Panjal valley, around 140-150 VDG members were informed about “operational and functional issues” on Sunday in Poonch district.

Officials said the J&K Police imparted education related to weapon handling, firing practice, training requirements, and other logistical matters. “The volunteers shared ground-level challenges faced while performing their duties in sensitive border areas,” officials said.

All the VDGs were from the border village of Jhullas in Poonch. The police officials highlighted the critical role of VDG members as first responders, especially in the event of any terrorist-initiated incident or suspicious activity in border villages.

“Emphasis was laid on the importance of maintaining high vigilance, prompt assessment of situations, and timely sharing of actionable inputs with the nearest police and security establishments to prevent loss of life and property and to ensure swift neutralization of threats,” the officials said.

The J&K Police officials commended the dedication, courage, and sense of responsibility displayed by the VDG members and “assured them of the continued support of J&K Police in terms of training, guidance, and logistical facilitation”. “Strengthening VDGs remains a priority for enhancing the overall security grid along border areas,” officials said.