Reasi, Apr 13 () Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi have, for the first time, inducted volunteers to patrol roads in rural and mountainous areas of the district and ensure strict enforcement of the lockdown, officials said here on Monday.
These volunteers, known as the 'Chokanna Panthal Group', will patrol the unmanned and unmotorable routes leading to Reasi and those in rural areas of the district round the clock, they added.
The members of the group have been nominated by the local panchayats and provided identity cards, the officials said. Various locations have been identified and different groups are keeping round-the-clock vigil there, they added.
The group members have been asked to submit reports on a daily basis to the deputy commissioner, the officials said.
Village and urban surveillance committees are already working throughout the district, looking out for suspected coronavirus cases, they added.
"This is a novel idea. Volunteers are on patrol duty in rural areas. They will be policing around the clock," a senior district officer told .
Sangram Singh, a volunteer, said he joined the initiative to ensure that strict restrictions are followed.
"We have a responsibility towards our own country. So we came forward to share the responsibility of patrolling rural roads as you cannot put policemen everywhere. They also need rest," he added.
Reasi, which houses the famous cave shrine of Vaishnodevi, has not reported any COVID-19 case so far, the officials said. AB IJT