Soldier guns down five colleagues, kills self (Third Lead)

A soldier fatally shot dead five of his colleagues and injured another before turning the gun on himself following a heated argument at an army garrison in Jammu and Kashmir's Ganderbal district, officials said Thursday.

A police officer told IANS that an angry soldier of the counter-insurgency 13 Rashtriya Rifles went berserk inside the Safapora (Manasbal) camp in the district, 35 km from here, following a heated exchange of words with his colleagues.

"He resorted to indiscriminate firing resulting in the death of five Rashtriya Rifles soldiers. After the firing, the irate soldier shot and killed himself," the police officer said.

Lt. Col. N.N. Joshi, public relations officer at the Indian Army's Srinagar-based 15 Corps, said a court of inquiry has been ordered.

He said the incident took place around 2 a.m.

"In a tragic incident, one soldier of 13 Rashtriya Rifles, located in Manasbal Garrison of Ganderbal district, fired and caused fatal injuries to five of his fellow soldiers with his service rifle before killing himself," Lt. Col. Joshi said.

The soldier who opened fire was on sentry duty.

The injured soldier was taken to the 92 Base Hospital for treatment and his condition was stable, he said.

"Police have been informed of the incident and a report was lodged. The army has ordered a high-level inquiry to investigate into the circumstances under which the incident occurred," he said.

Incidents of fratricidal firing have been occurring among security forces deployed in Jammu and Kashmir during the last two decades.

The incidents are attributed to tension among soldiers deployed in extremely hostile conditions, long periods of separation from families, lack of recreational facilities and poor command and control structure.

Counsellors have suggested various measures to address the problem.

These include periodic holidays to enable soldiers to meet their families and recreational facilities at their places of posting.

The 13 Rashtriya Rifles has to its credit 125 gallantry awards.

"The unit has an excellent counter-terrorism record as it has killed and apprehended a large number of terrorists, including Hizbul terrorist Talib Lalli in September 2013," the spokesman said.