VDG members had fired several gunshots after noticing suspicious movement in the Kuntwara area of Kishtwar - the same area where terrorists killed two VDG members on November 7.

Officials said that joint forces started a cordon and search operation after VDG members reported that they had noticed suspicious movement in the area.

After a number of attacks by terrorists in the hilly districts of Poonch, Rajouri, Doda, Kathua, Kishtwar, Reasi and Udhampur districts of the Jammu division, J&K Police decided to strengthen the VDG committees by providing them with better weapons and teaming.

Terrorists have always viewed the VDGs as the eyes and ears of the security forces and as the main hurdle in their nefarious anti-national activities.

In a number of cases, VDGs have thwarted the designs of terrorists to kill civilians in order to generate fear so that the diktats of the terrorists are carried out.

Over 4,000 soldiers drawn from the elite Para commando forces of the army were deployed in the mountainous areas of these districts to deprive the terrorists of the advantage of surprise while trying to attack the security forces.

Terrorists had carried ambush attacks against the army, police, other security forces and civilians in these districts. It was after revising their strategy that the security forces were able to check the movement of terrorists in the densely forested areas that were used by the terrorists to carry hit-and-run attacks. In addition to sly operations carried out from dense forests, the handlers of terror sitting across the border have also used drones to send across drugs, weapons and cash to sustain the dying terrorism in J&K.

Courtesy Media Group: IANS