As harsh winters force men to migrate for work, women in the remote districts of Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban in Jammu and Kashmir have stepped up to protect their villages. Trained by the Jammu and Kashmir Police under the Village Defence Guard (VDG) programme, these women patrol forest routes, guard homes, and monitor suspicious movement in areas where security forces may take time to reach.
Equipped with weapons and basic counter-terror training, they have become a dependable grassroots security force, filling a critical gap during winter months. Their role reflects not just resilience, but a powerful shift in community defence, where women now stand on the frontlines to safeguard their families and land.
