Srinagar, July 24: A major was shot dead by a soldier in a post near the Line of Control in north Kashmir late last night. The killing — the sixth incident of “fragging” confirmed by the army this year — occurred in the Gurez sector.

Major P. Alexander, 29, of a Bihar regiment battalion was gunned down by sepoy Mohan Munda with his service rifle. Munda later “gave himself up” and was taken into custody. A court of inquiry has been set up.

Army sources in New Delhi said the reasons for the killing would be known only after the investigation.

“It is likely that they had a scuffle but it is too early to say what the exact reason was. We can throw some light on the causes behind the killing after the inquiry committee submits its report,” defence spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel A.K. Mathur said.

The killing comes a day after a CRPF havildar, Sumir Kumar Sahu, from 24 Battalion, shot himself at the Rawalpora camp in Srinagar. Five days ago, another CRPF man committed suicide at the Sumbal camp here.

Army sources said this is the second incident of fragging in Kashmir this year. On May 30, lance naik Anil Kumar from 7 Para was killed by sepoy Kuldeep Singh in Kupwara district, allegedly after an argument.

In the last five months, the army — rocked by a spurt in suicides and fratricidal killings — has acted tough by awarding the death sentence to two jawans and a life sentence to another for killing their superiors.

In March, a summary general court martial sentenced sepoy S.C. Behera of 28 Rashtriya Rifles to death for killing Lieutenant Colonel Saket Saxena at Harwan in Srinagar on October 31. In May, sepoy Satyam Kumar was awarded death for killing his immediate superior, havildar Padmarajan L. Another soldier was killed in that incident which took place in October last year in Udhampur.

The army has adopted the death sentence as a deterrent against such killings after 24 cases of fratricidal killings were reported in the force from Kashmir and the Northeast last year.

An army spokesperson here said there is nothing “alarming” about such incidents and several measures are already in place to put them in check.

“We have rationalised the leave mechanism and jawans get leave on time. Several stress busting techniques have also been adopted,” Mathur said.

The army is also training junior commissioned officers to act as councillors.

In 2006, there were 11 incidents of fragging in which 23 soldiers — including officers — were killed. Defence minister A.K. Antony had ordered a study by the Defence Institute of Psychological Research. The study, submitted earlier this year, listed over 170 reasons for stress that leads to suicides and “fratricide”.