BSF Trains Armed Hindu Militias in IIOJK to Target Muslims Under Pretext of Security

Amid rising tensions with Pakistan, India has revived and militarized private Hindu militias in Jammu, arming them with modern weapons to carry out violent operations under the guise of counterterrorism.

In Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), the Indian paramilitary force, Border Security Force (BSF), has initiated a large-scale training program for Village Defence Guards (VDGs)—armed private militias notorious for targeting Muslim civilians in Jammu’s border districts. The move comes amid heightened hostilities between India and Pakistan, raising fears of communal violence and state-backed vigilantism.

According to local reports, the BSF is training these VDGs in weapon handling, tactical movement, and situational response. These camps are presented as a response to “terror threats,” but critics and rights observers view the initiative as an effort to empower Hindutva-aligned groups to carry out ethnic and ideological cleansing, especially in the Muslim-majority regions of Poonch, Rajouri, Samba, Kathua, and parts of Jammu.

Originally formed in the 1990s under the name Village Defence Committees (VDCs), these groups have long been associated with brutal killings and widespread intimidation of Muslim residents. They were notorious for acting as proxies of Indian forces during peak militancy and counterinsurgency operations. Now rebranded as VDGs, they are being revived and heavily militarized with official support.

Each VDG unit consists of 10 to 15 members, mostly ex-servicemen and local youth affiliated with Hindu nationalist organizations like the RSS. They operate under the command of Special Police Officers (SPOs), many of whom are ideologically aligned with the current regime. Previously armed with outdated .303 rifles, the VDGs are now being equipped with modern Self-Loading Rifles (SLRs) and are paid monthly stipends—Rs. 4,500 for unit leaders and Rs. 4,000 for other members.

The training camps, which gained momentum after 2022, are part of a broader militarization strategy under the Modi regime. Operations like “Sindoor” and increased paramilitary deployment in civilian areas signal a shift toward using non-state actors to implement state policy—especially in suppressing pro-freedom voices.

Observers warn that these armed groups, given their history and religious-nationalist motivations, pose a serious threat to the Muslim population. Human rights advocates note that such militia-style setups operate outside the norms of accountability, often enjoying legal immunity and political backing.

This trend of arming and training ideological militias echoes the playbook of previous pogroms in India, where private groups carried out massacres while official forces turned a blind eye—or worse, provided cover.

As tensions flare along the Line of Control, many fear that these militias could be used not only for cross-border skirmishes but for internal repression and targeted violence against IIOJK’s Muslim communities. The international community is being urged to monitor the developments closely and pressure India to disband these unconstitutional, state-supported vigilante forces.