Soldier shoots colleague, arrested

Jammu, May 6 (IANS) A soldier shot dead a junior commissioned officer (JCO) after a verbal altercation at a brigade headquarters at Narian in the border district of Rajouri Tuesday, an army officer said.

The incident took place at 39 Mountain Brigade headquarter.

The soldier, identified as Inderjit Singh, shot dead JCO Lal Bhadhur Singh in a fit of anger after they had a heated exchange of words. The reason for their verbal altercation was not immediately known.

The soldier has been arrested and a Court of Inquiry has been ordered, said Lt. Col. S.D. Goswami, army spokesperson.

Such incidents are said to be related to the stress faced by the soldiers in the conflict situation that is prevailing in Jammu and Kashmir with men often being denied leave and being made to work long hours.