In a rare incident of fratricide, a head constable of Jammu and Kashmir police allegedly shot dead his colleague in a fit of anger before shooting himself dead with his service weapon in a moving police van on Jammu Srinagar National Highway near Udhampur early Sunday morning.
According to local police, the firing incident occurred near the Kali Mata temple in the Rehembal area of Udhampur around 6.30 am. when three policemen were traveling in a van bearing registration number JK05 E 4703 from North Kashmir's Sopore to the Subsidiary Training Centre, Talwara in Reasi district.
Preliminary investigations revealed a head constable, hailing from Kashmir, opened fire at the driver over some argument before committing suicide with his service weapon.
Another selection grade constable, who was also traveling in the vehicle, escaped unhurt and is being questioned to ascertain the real provocation before the firing took place.
Confirming the same, Senior Superintendent of Police, Udhampur, Amod Ashok Nagpure said the accused used his AK 47 assault rifle in the firing.“The policemen traveling in the police van were posted in Sopore and belonged to Kashmir.
Earlier the Udhampur police posted on X (earlier Twitter), “Today, at about 6.30 am, Police Station Rehembal received information that two policemen from Sopore traveling towards STC Talwara in a department vehicle have suffered bullet injuries due to firing.“Initial investigation reveals that it is a case of fratricide and suicide. Senior police officers have reached the spot and an investigation is underway,” it said.
Earlier, an incident of fratricide was reported in the Udhampur district in July 2022. At that time a jawan of the Indo Tibetan Police Force, deployed on Amarnath yatra duty, opened fire on his colleagues near Devika Ghat community centre. In the firing incident, three ITBP jawans received injuries while one of them was found dead inside the Devika Ghat community centre.
On July 15, 2022, Two soldiers of the Indian army were killed while two others were injured in a similar firing incident inside Surankote-based territorial army camp in Poonch