CISF jawan shoots four colleagues with AK-47 in J&K
Numerous incidents of murder and suicide have occurred among security personnel in Kashmir.
Four security personnel were killed when a soldier of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) opened fire on his own colleagues in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir. The deceased include an Assistant Commandant, a Sub-Inspector, and two Constables. The incident occurred around 7:30 PM on Tuesday at the Seva-III hydroelectric project located in Mashka village of Kathua district. The accused soldier was subdued by his fellow personnel and was subsequently handed over to the police.
According to Senior Superintendent of Police Kathua Mohita Sharma,
“Initially, this is a suspected case of killing of one's own colleagues. Such incidents in security forces are referred to as ‘fratricide’. According to available information, there was an argument among the CISF personnel deployed at the project. Following this, the accused opened indiscriminate fire with his AK-47 rifle. However, the investigation is ongoing to determine the cause of the dispute and how the situation escalated to gunfire.”
The injured included Assistant Commandant Ankit Kumar Pandey, Sub-Inspector Lakshman Singh, and Constables Rafiq Ahmed and Sandeep Kumar. All four were taken to the NHPC hospital in Himachal Pradesh for treatment. After being admitted to the hospital, all succumbed to their injuries. All four individuals who lost their lives were members of the same security force that was deployed for the security of the hydroelectric project.
The Seva-III project is located in Mashka village of Kathua district. This hydroelectric center is built on the Seva River, which is a tributary of the Ravi River. CISF personnel were responsible for the security of this power project. The shooting took place within the project premises, where the accused and other security personnel were stationed.
According to available details, the suspected attacker entered the office premises and opened fire on his colleagues with the AK-47 rifle issued to him. The accused has been identified as Head Constable Avadhesh Kumar Singh. He is reported to be a Head Constable of the CISF and was apprehended after the shooting.
CISF stated,
“The accused had 150 rounds of ammunition. He used his service weapon to fire at his colleagues. His AK-47 rifle has been seized after the incident. The available information does not clarify how many shots were fired in total. The number of rounds of ammunition he had and the actual number of shots fired are separate facts; currently, only the information that he had 150 rounds is available.”
After the shooting, other CISF personnel subdued the accused. He was then arrested and handed over to the police. The available details mention that the accused was caught by his colleagues, but there is no detailed account of the entire process of subduing him. Upon receiving information about the incident, the police arrived at the scene and secured the premises. The police are now investigating the sequence of events related to the shooting and the circumstances behind it.
“Initial information mentions a quarrel among the security personnel, but this cannot be considered the final and confirmed reason for the shooting. It is still unclear who was involved in the dispute, how long the conversation lasted, and under what circumstances the accused drew his weapon. Answers to these questions will emerge only after the investigation. For now, officials have described the incident as a suspected fratricide and have informed about action against the accused.”
Along with the police investigation, the CISF is also planning to form an internal inquiry committee. The aim is to ascertain the circumstances under which this incident occurred. Through the proposed inquiry by the force and police action, efforts will be made to clarify the sequence of events before and after the shooting. However, the available information does not mention the structure of the internal inquiry, its officials, or the timeline for submitting the report.
“The police have started the investigation after securing the scene, while the CISF also plans an internal inquiry. Only the officials' investigation will clarify how the dispute among colleagues escalated into this fatal shooting. Further details in the case are awaited.”
There have been several cases of security personnel killing their colleagues in Jammu and Kashmir in the past. In August of this year, a Village Defence Guard killed two of his colleagues in Udhampur. In December 2025, a JCO was killed in an incident in the Samba sector, and in December 2024, a constable of the Jammu and Kashmir police killed his colleagues in Udhampur near a training center.