3 soldiers injured in Kupwara firing incident; Army rules out fratricide

Srinagar: Three soldiers were injured after a service weapon allegedly went off inside an Army camp in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, officials said on Sunday, with the Army ruling out fratricide and ordering an internal inquiry into the incident.

The incident took place late Saturday night in the Trehgam area, where a soldier’s weapon went off inside a barrack, injuring three of his colleagues.

The injured personnel were immediately evacuated to a nearby military hospital and are reported to be in stable condition.

Initial reports had suggested that the soldier may have opened fire on his colleagues, raising suspicion of a fratricide case. However, Army sources later clarified that the incident was the result of an accidental discharge of a weapon, effectively ruling out deliberate firing.

An internal inquiry has been initiated to ascertain the exact sequence of events, including the circumstances under which the weapon discharged and whether standard safety protocols were followed.

There was no immediate official statement from the Army’s Defence Public Relations Officer, but sources said the matter is being treated as a routine operational incident pending the outcome of the जांच.

Kupwara, a frontier district along the Line of Control, remains a high-alert zone with frequent counter-infiltration operations, where troops operate under sustained operational pressure.