Rural Pulse

04/01/2026

85 VDG members from border areas undergo intensive training at DPL

As part of efforts to strengthen border security, 85 Village Defence Group (VDG) members from border villages of Arnia, R S Pura and Kanachak are undergoing an intensive training at District Police Lines (DPL) Jammu.
Officials said the training includes handling of automatic rifles, minor tactics, self-defence, bunker construction and methods to repel enemy attacks.
The programme was inaugurated by SSP Jammu Joginder Singh, in the presence of SP Headquarters Jammu, SP Operations Jammu and DySP DAR Jammu.
Officials said the villages covered under the programme are located close to the International Border and remain vulnerable to infiltration attempts, drone activities and tunnelling, particularly during winter months due to foggy conditions.
“The training is being conducted by Jammu and Kashmir Police trainers, including personnel from SOG Jammu, with the aim of preparing VDG members to protect their villages and act as first responders during any emergency,” they said.
VDG members have welcomed both the training and the recent upgradation of their weapons.
They expressed satisfaction over the replacement of old .303 rifles with self-loading rifles, stating that the move has significantly boosted their confidence.
Addressing the participants, the SSP Jammu appreciated the role of VDGs in strengthening internal security along the border belt and said that empowering Village Defence Groups is part of a multi-layered security strategy to ensure lasting peace and safety in the region.

04/01/2026

On the evening of Friday, January 2, 2026, a member of the Village Defence Group (VDG) fired several warning shots after observing suspicious activity near his house in the Dessa area of Doda district, Jammu and Kashmir.
Key details of the incident include:
Location: The firing occurred in the village of Dewal Kund within the Dessa region.
Action Taken: The VDG member discharged three to four rounds from his service-issued Self-Loading Rifle (SLR) as a precautionary measure upon spotting what were reported as three suspected militants.
Casualties: No injuries or loss of life were reported in the incident.
Official Response: Following the shots, Doda police and army reinforcements were immediately dispatched to the area to conduct search operations.
Advisory: Authorities have urged local residents to remain calm, stay vigilant, and avoid unnecessary movement while security forces maintain a presence in the area.
This event follows a similar incident on Wednesday in the Rajouri district, where another VDG member fired warning shots after spotting suspicious movement.
Do you need more information about the ongoing security operations in Doda or details on the training provided to VDGs by the Indian Army?

04/01/2026

United we stand....

03/01/2026

Latest Picture of Machail Mata, Paddar

03/01/2026

03/01/2026

Dessa terror attack: VDG member shows exemplary courage, protects civilians and stands tall against terror. Rural Pulse salutes our real ground heroes.”

03/01/2026

VDG Members Open Fire in Doda’s Dessa Area

03/01/2026

porate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds for the Baglihar Hydroelectric Project (BHEP) at Chanderkote have been primarily used for local infrastructure development, community welfare, and maintenance works around the project area. The project is owned and operated by the Jammu and Kashmir State Power Development Corporation (JKSPDC).
Specific examples of works and initiatives include:
Local Area Development: A significant amount of funds (over Rs. 112 crore across various NHPC projects in the region, including BHEP) has been disbursed for local area development, which includes the construction of roads and bridges. The project has also benefited the local community through employment generation and the expansion of the local market.
Infrastructure & Maintenance Tenders: JKSPDC has issued various tenders funded through relevant budgets (which may include CSR allocations) for specific civil works in the BHEP area. These include:
Construction of residential quarters for technicians.
Repair and renovation of field hostels and an Ist Aid Centre.
Upgradation of drainage and sewage disposal systems.
Construction of a path and drain from the main road to a cremation ground.
Construction of a path/steps with railing for a cremation shed near the dam reservoir.
Community Welfare: The project has provided both permanent and indirect employment to locals, with a significant percentage of the workforce drawn from the surrounding areas.
While specific, itemized expenditure lists for "CSR funds" are not publicly available in a single document, the funding is generally directed toward projects that align with the Companies Act, 2013, Schedule VII guidelines, focusing on community developmen

03/01/2026

: Mukesh Singh, IPS, has been appointed as the Director General of Police (DGP), Ladakh with immediate effect.

03/01/2026

Electric Blanket Short Circuit Triggers Night Fire in Srinagar

The ncident happened at HMT Shah Vilayat Colony, Sector 8 in Srinagar was brought under control during the intervening night of Friday and Saturday, officials from Fire and Emergency Services said, adding that timely intervention prevented a major mishap.
..No loss of life or injuries were reported....

03/01/2026

Rural Pulse
Published: Dec 30, 2025
How some snaps in France confirmed crucial Buddhist discovery in Kashmir
Baramulla mounds reveal Kashmir's links to B
A major discovery in a Kashmir village has revealed the Valley's links to Buddhism over 2,000 years ago. The mounds were a topic of intrigue for decades, and then some pictures popped up in France, finally revealing what the mounds really were.
A village in the Baramulla district of Jammu and Kashmir is home to several mounds that have remained a mystery for years. Archaeologists from Srinagar and Delhi who studied these structures have now revealed that they are part of an ancient structure. These mounds are located along an ancient Silk Route that leads to Kandahar and even further, suggesting that they likely played some kind of role years ago. The researchers used drone surveys, aerial photography and mapping to learn what these mounds were. This mystery was solved thousands of kilometres away in a museum in France, where three old, blurred photographs held the secret of these mounds. These mounds are nothing but Buddhist stupas. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi talked about them in his Mann Ki Baat address on Sunday. "Three Buddhist stupas were visible in that photograph of Baramulla. From there, the course of discovery changed, and Kashmir's forgotten past began to reveal itself," he said.

03/01/2026

Army Trains Village Defence Guards In J&K’s Doda As Anti-Terror Ops Continue In Chenab Valley
Amid an intensive counter-terrorist operation in the higher reaches of Chenab valley, the Army has also stepped up efforts to strengthen grassroots security by imparting training to Village Defence Guards (VDGs) in Doda district, officials said on Tuesday.
Around 150 VDGs from 17 remote villages along the Doda-Chamba border, including women volunteers, are undergoing intensive training in handling automatic rifles, minor tactics, self-defence, bunker construction and repelling enemy attacks,The villages are located near the forested and mountainous areas where security forces are currently conducting extensive search operations in view of suspected terrorist movement.
The training is being conducted at Shingini panchayat of Bhalessa, around 90 km from the Doda district headquarters, to equip volunteers with the necessary skills to protect their villages and act as a first line of defence, especially in vulnerable areas, an official said.
He said the move complements the ongoing operation by the Army, police and paramilitary forces in the higher reaches to track down and neutralise the terrorists who had managed to infiltrate into Chenab valley, especially Doda and Kishtwar districts, a couple of years back.
According to officials, the VDGs welcomed the training and the recent upgradation of their weaponry. They expressed gratitude to Union Home Minister Amit Shah for providing self-loading rifles (SLRs), replacing the older .303 rifles, which they said, has significantly boosted their confidence.This is a major programme bringing together members from 17 Village Defence Groups. We are being trained in weapon handling, bunker construction and self-defence. Receiving such training at our doorstep is highly appreciable,” Surinder Singh, a VDG member from Shingani, said.
He requested the government to provide more automatic weapons to the members, recalling the frequent terror attacks in the region during the early 1990s.
Another VDG member, Rajesh Kumar Thakur from Gauala village, said the training by the Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police has instilled a sense of confidence.
“Earlier, we only had .303 rifles. After receiving automatic weapons, our confidence has increased, and we now feel capable of defending our villages,” he said.
Thakur also demanded that unpaid VDG members be given an honorarium, adding that the construction of bunkers in villages has helped ease the fear among residents.
Security officials said strengthening VDGs alongside sustained operations in the higher reaches forms a multi-layered security strategy aimed at denying terrorists any support base and ensuring long-term peace in the region