Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Feb 27: A soldier ran amok in an Army camp and shot dead his five colleagues before killing himself in Central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district in what appears to be a stress reacted violence.
Army spokesman, Lieutenant Colonel N N Joshi, told Excelsior that a soldier of a 13 Rashtriya Rifles unit ran amok inside Safapora Army camp in district Ganderbal in the wee hours, killing five soldiers before killing himself.
Joshi said that a court of inquiry has been ordered to investigate the deaths. However, sources said that it is appears to be a stress related violence in which the soldier killed his colleagues and then self.
Sources said that the soldier Ranveer Singh, who was posted on sentry duty at the camp, entered one of the barracks at around 2:30 a m and fired indiscriminately at his sleeping colleagues. Singh later killed himself by turning his rifles towards himself.
The other soldiers have been identified as Amit Kumar of 12 Kumaon, Lance Naik Tabruq Ansari of 278 Field Regiment, Sepoy Surinder Singh of 2 Kumaon, Rifleman MR Ajinath of 36 Medical Regiment and Rifleman Rajput Joni of 278 Field Regiment.
The autopsy of the bodies was conducted and police have registered a case. The actual events that led to the incident is not known yet but troops posted in Jammu and Kashmir have often been complaining about adverse working conditions.
According to Army figures 65 Army personnel including officers committed suicides in Army in 2013, 95 in 2012, 105 in 2011, 116 in 2010, 96 in 2009, 123 in 2008, 118 in 2007 and 129 in 2006.
The experts attribute fratricide and suicides in soldiers to built-up tensions among soldiers in extremely hostile conditions, long periods of separation from families, lack of recreational facilities and poor command and control structure are attributed to these incidents.
Over the years Army is giving special attention to those soldiers who are suffering from the stress in Jammu and Kashmir. The suicide rate over the years has fallen.
Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, expressed deep grief over the incident at the Army Camp and described it most unfortunate.
In his condolence message, the Chief Minister conveyed his sympathy to the Army and bereaved families. He prayed for peace to the departed souls.
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