Three soldiers killed in Indian Kashmir army camp

JAMMU, India, (AFP) - Three Indian Army soldiers were killed and two were injured early Saturday in Indian-administered Kashmir when a soldier opened fire on his colleagues after a quarrel, a defence spokesman said.

"There were hot words and he used his service rifle and killed three persons on the spot and injured two more and later on he tried to commit suicide," said Colonel D.K. Badola.

"Now he is struggling between life and death at the military hospital."

The spokesman said a court of inquiry had been ordered to investigate the cause of the incident at an army camp in Naria, in the border district of Rajouri, 156 kilometres (97 miles) northwest of the summer capital Jammu.

Thousands of troops are stationed in India's northernmost state, which is in the grip of a separatist insurgency. The 16-year-old revolt against New Delhi's rule has left at least 44,000 people dead.