Amid spike in terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir this year, terrorists killed two village defence guards (VDGs) in Kishtwar district on Thursday, said official sources.
The deceased were identified as Nazir Ahmed, son of Mohammad Khalil and Kuldeep Kumar, son of Amar Chand, both residents of Ohli Kuntwara village.
However, Jammu and Kashmir Police haven’t yet confirmed the incident.
Sources said, the two VDGs were blindfolded, abducted and then killed by the terrorists in the upper reaches of Kuntwara. Kashmir Tigers, an offshoot of Jaish-e-Mohammad terror outfit has claimed responsibility of the killings.
The outfit has shared a photograph of the two dead VDGs with a letter written in Urdu language.
However, HT can’t independently vouch for the veracity of the claims made.
In the letter purportedly written on the letter head of Kashmir Tiger, a warning has been issued to the people to desist from joining village defence groups.
The translated crux of the letter read, “Two active VDGs Kuldeep Kumar and Nazeer chased Mujahideens in the dense forests of Kishtwar area of Occupied Kashmir this morning. The Mujahideens of Kashmir Tigers ignored them but they (two VDGs) didn’t give up the chase and came close. Mujahideens caught them. After they (two VDGs) confessed to all the crimes, both were executed. Mujahideens safely reached their hideout.”
The letter also had a warning for the people who joined as VDGs.
It read, “Our records is clear, we have not killed a common Hindu till date. We are fighting against the Indian Army. However, some ignorant people (naive and gullible) are joining the VDGs and becoming a tool of the Army. Such people should take a lesson from today’s incident and they shouldn’t be part of VDGs. Otherwise, they will also meet the same date”.
An intelligence report shared by local police sources, however, confirmed the development.
It read, “two village defence guards were killed by terrorists in Kuntwara area of kishtwar today”
“As per reports of PP Kuntwara two VDG members (shepherds) namely Nazir Ahmed son of Mohd Khalil and Kuldeep Kumar son of Amar Chand, of Ohli Kuntwara had gone to Munzla Dhar (upper reaches) for grazing their cattles today but didn’t they come back to their respective homes late in the evening. Later, their dead bodies were found in the jungle. Meanwhile terrorist organisation Kashmir Tigers has taken responsibility of the killings”, it added.
Village defence committees (VDCs), rechristened as village defence groups, are an important part of the anti-terrorism grid in Jammu and Kashmir and were first set up in the mid-1990s in Chenab Valley area to arm and train villagers to defend against Pak-sponsored terrorists.
VDGs comprise villagers as well as police officers. There are 4125 VDGs in the UT as per the latest official figures. The Indian Army trains them from time to time in weapons handling and intelligence gathering skills.