An Assam Rifles havildar on Wednesday shot himself to death after shooting his colleagues, injuring six personnel in an incident at an Assam Rifles Battalion deployed close to the Indo-Myanmar border in South Manipur, official sources said.

According to the PRO of IG AR (s), the jawan opened fire on his colleagues injuring six of them and later shot himself.

The incident happened on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday at 15-AR(B-Coy) gi Ranatop Post, which is 40 km south of Chakpikarong Police Station, Chandel District and the 15AR battalion headquarters is in Sajik Tampak.

As per reports, six riflemen sustained injuries after the Havildar fired bullets and he fled along with two AK 47 guns. The Havildar was also killed, added the reports.

The deceased Havildar is identified as Sangpi Baite of Churachandpur.

The injured riflemen are Rflm no. 5037011P, B. Apurba Das, Rflm no. 5004738K, Rahul kumar, Rflm no. 5036485N, Pradyut Monda, Rflm no. 5016131K, Mohan Phukan, Rflm no. 5036704K Surajkumar Modi and Rflm no. 153796X Ramesh Chandra.

All injured have been airlifted to Leimakhong Military Hospital for further treatment and Ramesh Chandra was later referred to RIMS, it stated.

Chakpikarong Police station has registered a case and a team were on their way to evacuate the body but there have been no reports if the body will be brought to JNIMS or not.

Reports from other sources said, Havildar Baite decamped with two AK-47 rifles after shooting his colleagues and he was killed in the melee. However, it is yet to be confirmed.

An official release from IGAR (South) said, the incident should not be correlated with ongoing conflict, given the fact that none of the injured are from Manipur.

Investigation into the incident has been ordered to ascertain the facts, it added.

The release further said, all Assam Rifles battalions have mixed class composition including those belonging to various communities from Manipur. All personnel have been staying and operating together despite polarization of society to maintain peace and stability in Manipur.