Rajouri: The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)  is going to provide arms training to village defence guards or VDGs in Jammu and Kashmir in an attempt to counter terror attacks in the region, media reports said.

The administration in the Union territory last week started reissuing weapons to the VDGs, earlier known as VDCs (village defence committees) after a twin terror attack in Dhangri in Rajouri district killed seven people, reports Hindustan Times.

The VDGs mostly include local village volunteers.

The VDgs were first activated in 1990s.

They reportedly played a major role in self defence.

“The final contours of the training schedule, variety of arms to be included and number of participants will be decided in due course of time but the CRPF has been appointed as the force which will train the VDCs so that they can act as the first line of defence,” a senior officer, who did not wish to be named, told Hindustan Times.

The volunteers will be trained in basic physical combat exercise, if required, the officer added.