Army Major With Rashtriya Rifles Opens Fire On Fellow Colleagues; Here Is What We Know So Far

A Major-rank Army officer unleashed gunfire upon his colleagues and subordinates at a camp in Dara, near Thanamandi in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district on Thursday, reported The Indian Express.

The incident resulted in injuries to at least one officer.

This comes six months (April 12), after another fratricide incident in Punjab, when an Army soldier killed four of his colleagues from an Army's artillery unit at Bathinda Military Station.

The officer, posted with a 48 Rashtriya Rifles (48RR) unit in Thanamandi, Rajouri sector, was eventually overpowered after several hours of indiscriminate firing near an ammunition depot when personnel approached him.

According to the IE report, the Major, with a service record of more than 10 years, also threw a grenade at those attempting to persuade him to surrender.

This incident is believed to be the first of its kind involving a Major-rank officer attacking colleagues and subordinates. Between 2014 and 2021, approximately 18 fratricidal incidents were reported, none of which involved an officer.

The Nagrota-based White Knight Corps (XVI Corps) issued a statement indicating that only one officer had been injured in what they described as a "likely grenade accident" at a post in the Rajouri sector.

The injured officer was evacuated and reported to be in stable condition after initial treatment. Further investigation into the incident is ongoing.

While confirming the incident, an Army spokesperson declined to disclose additional details, citing it as an "internal matter."

The exact reasons behind the incident remain unknown, but the IE report suggests that the officer had been grappling with "personal issues." It is reported that he had access to the weapons of Army personnel within the unit.

Lieutenant General Sandeep Jain, General Officer Commanding (GOC) of 16 Corps, arrived at the scene to oversee the situation.

Officials have stated that a thorough probe will reveal the precise reasons for the incident. However, they have noted that officers and troops engaged in counter-terrorism operations face extreme stress on a daily basis.