An army soldier today shot five colleagues dead at point blank range when they were sleeping before committing suicide in Kashmir's Ganderbal district.

An army spokesman said, a soldier of a Rashtriya Rifles unit ran amok in the wee hours, killing five soldier before killing himself. The incident took place inside the army camp of 13 Rashtriya Rifles at Safapora.

A court of inquiry has been ordered into the incident. The soldier, who was posted on sentry duty at the camp, entered one of the barracks at around 2 AM and opened indiscriminate firing on his sleeping colleagues. Five soldiers were killed and another injured in the firing before the jawan went on to shoot himself.