JAMMU: Reasi Police have formed 97 new Village Defence Guard (VDG) groups to strengthen the district’s village-level defence grid. As part of the security augmentation plan, as many as 726 aged VDG personnel have been replaced, and 1,902 additional members have been recruited across existing VDG groups, Reasi SSP Paramvir Singh said Thursday.The SSP was addressing an interaction between top district police brass and VDG groups at Arnas. A large gathering of VDGs, many of whom had arrived from remote hamlets, participated in the orientation programme.The SSP reviewed the ongoing deployment, operational readiness and overall preparedness of VDGs to tackle security situations in the district. He also evaluated the VDGs’ firing and weapon-handling skills and learnt about their experience with the Army and the CRPF, serving as their nodal point as per SOP.SSP Singh underscored the importance of continuous training, close coordination, and operational cooperation among VDGs and security agencies, particularly in Reasi’s remote and sensitive regions. He also heard the grievances and issues raised by VDGs and assured them of prompt, fair, and time-bound redressal.