Four Central Industrial Security Force personnel were shot dead by a colleague at a camp in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district on Tuesday evening, officials said.

The firing took place around 7.30 pm at the CISF unit guarding the Sewa-II hydroelectric power project in Mashka village of Basohli, near the Himachal Pradesh border. According to officials, Head Constable Abhidesh Kumar allegedly opened fire with his service AK-47 rifle following an argument with colleagues.

The four personnel suffered critical injuries and later died at a nearby NHPC hospital. They were 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 other personnel soon after the firing and handed over to police. His service weapon was seized as part of the investigation.

Senior CISF and Jammu and Kashmir Police officers rushed to the spot. The CISF has ordered a court of inquiry into the incident. The exact trigger of the argument is still being established, and the accused is being questioned.