JAMMU: The BSF on Tuesday conducted a special training programme for village defence guards (VDGs) in Jammu and Kashmir's Samba district, an official said.

The training programme in the border area of Ramgarh focused on enhancing weapon handling, situation awareness and security threat response, an official of the Border Security Force (BSF) said.

He said BSF teams also imparted training to the VDGs at Arnia and Gadkhal in Jammu sector on Monday as part of its efforts to strengthen the border grid.

The civilian volunteers known as VDGs living along the International Border and Line of Control were given essential training in firearms handling, self-defence techniques and surveillance methods, the official said.

The initiative is meant to counter infiltration bids and smuggling of arms, ammunition and narcotics into this side of the border through human couriers or drones, he added.