Four CISF personnel killed in firing at Kathua camp; colleague arrested

Four personnel of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), including an Assistant Commandant and a Sub-Inspector, were killed in a firing incident at a CISF camp in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday evening. Officials said a fellow CISF personnel has been taken into custody in connection with the incident, which is being examined as a case of fratricide — a killing involving members of the same force.

The incident took place at around 7.30 p.m. at the Sewa-III hydroelectric power project site at Mashka village in the Basohli area of the district, close to the border with Himachal Pradesh.

According to preliminary information, Head Constable Abhidesh Kumar allegedly opened fire with his service rifle following an argument with some of his colleagues. Four CISF personnel sustained critical injuries and were moved to a nearby NHPC hospital, where they were declared dead.

The deceased have been identified as Assistant Commandant Ankit Kumar Pandey, Sub-Inspector Lakshman Singh and constables Rafiq Ahmed and Sandeep Kumar.

Officials said the accused was overpowered by his colleagues at the site and subsequently arrested. The service weapon used in the firing has been seized as part of the investigation.

Senior CISF and police officers rushed to the spot after the incident. Officials said the exact circumstances that led to the argument and the subsequent firing are still being ascertained, and that a formal investigation is under way.

What the CISF is

The CISF is a central armed police force under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, raised in 1969. It is primarily responsible for the security of industrial undertakings, airports, ports, metro networks, power plants and other critical installations across the country. Units deployed at such sites are typically armed and live in on-site camps for the duration of their posting.

The Sewa-III project is one of several hydroelectric installations in the Basohli belt of Kathua district, and security for such sites is provided by central forces in coordination with the local administration.

A wider concern

Fratricide and self-harm incidents within the armed forces and central armed police forces have been reported periodically over the years. Official reviews and parliamentary standing committee reports have pointed to a combination of factors, including prolonged deployment away from home, workplace stress, unresolved personal or service-related grievances, and access to service weapons. In response, forces have introduced stress-management programmes, counselling and grievance-redressal mechanisms, though questions about their effectiveness recur after every such incident.

What happens next

Because the case involves personnel of a central force, investigators are expected to record statements from those present at the camp, examine the seized weapon and its ammunition records, and piece together the sequence of events that preceded the firing. The findings will determine whether the case is pursued as a criminal matter and whether any procedural lapses are identified.

Officials have not offered any motive so far, and no conclusions should be drawn while the investigation is in progress. The accused remains a suspect and is entitled to the presumption of innocence and to due process under law.

The Indian National Congress and other political parties are yet to issue statements on the incident. The CISF has not released an official statement on the deaths or on the arrest at the time of filing this report.

This report will be updated as verified information becomes available.