Srinagar, Feb 08 : The Centre on Wednesday informed Rajya Sabha that 27 persons including 25 security personnel and two civilians were killed in militant attacks across Jammu since August 05, 2019. In a written reply, Minister of State in the Ministry Of Home Affairs (MHA), Nityanand Rai, as per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said that a total of 25 security personnel including two from Jammu-one each in 2019 and 2022, 2 in Rajouri in 2020, five in 2021 & four in 2022, 9 Poonch in 2021, 1 in Ramban in 2019, 1 in Kishtwar in 2020 and 1 Doda in 2020 were killed in militant attacks post August 5, 2019. He also saoid two civilians were in Jammu region , which include one in Rajouri in 2021 and one in Udhampur in 2022. He further said 48 security personnel have also been injured in militant attacks, which include 10 in 2019, four in 2020, 14 in 2021 and 15 in 2022 and 20 civilians have also been injured including one in 2020, nine in 2021 & 19 in 2022. Replying to another question, the MoS Home said that the Village Defence Group Scheme, notified by the Government of J&K in the year 1995, did not envisage constitution of the Village Defence Committees (VDC). “However, in terms of the Scheme ibid, Village Defence Groups (VDGs) were to be constituted. Village Defence Groups, in terms of the Scheme of 1995, have already been constituted in the Districts of Poonch and Rajouri of the Jammu Division for the protection of Villages,” it added. “As per Village Defence Guards Scheme (VDGs), notified by the Government of UT of J&K on 14.08.2022, apart from the areas/village already declared as vulnerable areas in the Scheme of 1995, any other area/village, which may be considered more vulnerable area by the law enforcement agencies, necessitating application of the Scheme ibid to such other area/village, the Government can by an order declare such other area/village as a “more vulnerable area” for the purpose of the Scheme ibid,” he said.
