140 Villages In Terror Hit 5 Districts Of Jammu Identified By MHA For SPO Recruitment

Amid a rise in terror incidents in the Jammu region, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has identified 140 villages for the recruitment of Special Police Officers (SPOs). These SPOs are intended to provide additional support to security forces in anti-terror operations as they are locals and well known to the local demography. The recruitment will focus on the districts of Rajouri, Poonch, Udhampur, Reasi, and Doda, all of which have witnessed terror attacks in the recent past.

Officials have informed the Republic that out of 140 villages identified by MHA, 47 are in Poonch, 27 in Doda, and 22 in Rajouri, Reasi, and Udhampur districts of the Jammu region. The recruitment will be based on the physical tests of the aspirants, and they will be recruited in the month of July itself to speed up SPO recruitment. The recruited SPO will be paid an honorarium of Rs 6,000 per month by the district police and will be provided with weapons training.

Multiple attacks in five districts over the last two years have witnessed SPO recruitment.

Doda district has seen twin terror-linked incidents in Chatargalla and Gandoh in June, followed by an encounter in which three Jaish terrorists were killed by Jammu and Kashmir Police along with the Indian Army in the Gandoh area. Reasi district saw a deadly terror attack on June 9, in which nine pilgrims were killed and over 40 injured when terrorists attacked a bus carrying pilgrims to Shiv Khori Shrine. Udhampur witnessed one terror attack in April when a Village Defence Group (VDG) member was killed by terrorists in the upper reaches of Basantgarh. Rajouri and Poonch have witnessed multiple terror attacks in the last two years in which more than 35 civilians and security forces have been killed.

Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi in Jammu to review security preparedness. 

Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi is in Jammu for his first visit since assuming charge the day before yesterday. During this day-long visit, General Dwivedi will review the security arrangements and operational preparedness of the Indian Army in the Jammu region. His itinerary includes an operational review of forward areas, weather permitting. General Dwivedi, who commanded the Northern Command from 2022 to 2024, will assess troop preparedness in two forward sectors along the Line of Control and evaluate ongoing anti-terror operations in the hinterland. He will be briefed by Northern Army Commander Lt General M. V. Suchindra Kumar and White Knight Corps Commander Lt Gen Naveen Sachdeva.