A tragic incident unfolded in Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur district early Sunday, as a policeman allegedly shot and killed his colleague with an AK-47 assault rifle before turning the weapon on himself in an apparent suicide. The incident occurred while the two policemen were traveling from Sopore in north Kashmir to the Subsidary Training Centre (STC) Talwara in the Reasi district.
The bodies of the two policemen were discovered inside a police van near the Kali Mata temple in the Rehembal area of Udhampur at around 6:30 am. Initial investigations revealed that the accused, a head constable, opened fire on his colleague, who was driving the vehicle, after an argument. The accused then turned the weapon on himself and committed suicide. A third colleague, a selection grade constable, was also in the vehicle but managed to escape unharmed. He is currently being questioned by the police.
According to Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Udhampur, Amod Ashok Nagpure, the accused used an AK-47 assault rifle in the shooting. The two policemen were posted in Sopore, and both were from Kashmir. The SSP confirmed that this was a case of fratricide (the killing of a colleague) and suicide.
The police department received a call around 6:30 am, informing them about the incident. Initial investigations confirmed the sequence of events, and senior police officers quickly arrived at the scene. An investigation into the case is currently underway.
This tragic incident of fratricide and suicide has raised questions about internal conflicts and stress within law enforcement, especially given the pressures faced by police personnel in conflict zones like Jammu and Kashmir. Authorities are conducting further inquiries to understand the underlying reasons for the fatal altercation.
