Key points
- An assistant commandant among those killed in the incident in Kathua district
- Police said a head constable opened fire with his service AK-47 rifle after an altercation during a shift change
- An investigation and a court of inquiry were launched after the arrest of the suspect gunman
SRINAGAR: An Indian paramilitary Head Constable opened fire on his colleagues after an argument at a security camp in Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), killing four personnel, including an assistant commandant, officials said.
The incident took place Tuesday evening at a security camp for the Seva-III hydroelectric power project in Maska village in Basohli, Kathua district, near the border with Himachal Pradesh.
Four personnel of India’s Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), including an assistant commandant, were taken to hospital, where they died of thier injuries, officials said.
Police sources said an argument broke out among personnel during a shift change and escalated before Head Constable Audhesh Kumar Singh allegedly opened fire on his colleagues with his service AK-47 rifle.
The dead included Assistant Commandant and Company Commander Ankit Kumar Pandey, Sub-Inspector Lakshman Singh, and constables Mohammad Rafiq and Sandeep Kumar.
Police said other personnel at the camp overpowered the suspected gunman shortly after the shooting and handed him over to Jammu and Kashmir Police.
Local police have registered an FIR and initiated the investigation. Authorities have also ordered a high-level court of inquiry to establish the circumstances behind the shooting.
Security personnel under stress
The latest incident also highlights concerns over stress and psychological pressure among Indian security personnel deployed in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
On May 4, 2026, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel Bisva Navin Kumar of the 180th Battalion died by suicide after shooting himself with his service rifle in the Tral area of Pulwama district, according to police and media reports.
On June 22, Lance Naik Abhijeet Nandan was found dead at an Army camp in Nagrota, Jammu, in an apparent suicide, with officials saying the reason was not immediately known.
The cases are part of a pattern involving India’s security forces. The National Human Rights Commission said on August 14, 2026, that official CRPF data showed 19 personnel had died by suicide between January 1 and May 22, 2026.
The commission also said the force recorded 59 suicides in 2025, the highest annual figure in the previous five years, compared with 57 in 2021, 43 in 2022, 57 in 2023 and 46 in 2024.
Data cited by Indian media showed that 202 of 262 CRPF suicides recorded between 2021 and 2025 occurred while personnel were on duty, while more than 80 per cent of those who died were from the constabulary and other non-gazetted ranks.
READ ALSO: Kashmiri Delegates Urge UN Action Over Rights Abuses in IIOJK
Indian officials have linked some cases to problems at home combined with the rigours of service and difficult duties. At the same time, the CRPF has established a senior-level group to review such cases and strengthen prevention measures, since the frequency of such cases has increased.
The figures and individual incidents have intensified concerns over the psychological pressures facing personnel deployed for prolonged periods in IIOJK and other conflict-affected areas. However, the specific circumstances and causes of individual deaths remain subject to official investigations.
Global observations
International human rights bodies have also repeatedly raised concerns about conditions in IIOJK.
The UN Human Rights Office documented allegations of excessive use of force, arbitrary detention, restrictions on civic space and impunity for past violations, and called for independent investigations and greater accountability.
The UN has also urged India to ensure respect for international human rights obligations and investigate deaths occurring during security duty and operations.
