A Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) trooper shot dead seven of his colleagues, including the company commander, before he was shot down around midnight at their camp in Baramullah, 56 km from here, Saturday.

The dead included the company commander, an officer of the rank of an inspector, five CRPF soldiers, a sub-inspector and the irate trooper. Two others who were critically wounded in the shooting are undergoing treatment at the Soura Medical Institute here.

The incident happed around midnight when the trooper went berserk leading to a shooting spree in which he gunned down seven of his colleagues.

"The soldier sprayed gun fire from an automatic rifle on everyone around killing seven troopers. The other troopers took positions immediately and shot dead the soldier," said a police officer.

CRPF inspector general (Kashmir) Ranjeet Sinha told IANS: "We are still enquiring as to what forced the soldier to shoot his colleagues. Those who could have provided the insightful details are already dead."

Incidents of this nature have occasionally been reported from units of the army, paramilitary and police in which soldiers go berserk killing their colleagues and senior officers.

But today's incident is the worst of its kind. Refusal of leave to join their families has been a major reason for the soldiers losing control over their nerves and "reacting madly because of pent up tensions", according to officials.

The various army and paramilitary units have been engaging services of counsellors to sort out their mental and emotional problems related to long estrangement from their families, discharge of duties in hostile conditions and virtually no avenues of recreation.

"We heard sounds of gun fire last night and it stopped later," a resident in Baramullah reached by phone said.

--Indo-Asian News Service