Four Central Reserve Police Force troopers were killed and one critically wounded in a shootout inside a CRPF camp located in an abandoned cinema at Hawal in downtown Srinagar [Images] late Wednesday afternoon.

Police said an altercation between the CRPF soldiers ended in a shootout resulting in on the spot death of four troopers. The injured trooper identified as Maninder Massi was taken to hospital and attending doctors described his condition as critical.

A senior police officer in Srinagar said Constable Avtar Chand of 96 battalion CRPF was incensed following a heated exchange of words with his colleagues after which he pumped bullets into them from his automatic service rifle.

The shootout led to heavy panic inside the camp with senior paramilitary and police officers rushing to the spot. "The irate constable Avtar Chand was overpowered and taken into custody. He is being questioned," said Rakesh Kumar Singh, Public Relations Officer, CRPF, Srinagar.

There have been such instances in the past too when irate soldiers killed their officers and colleagues after snapping nerves because of continuous deployment and long separation from families.

It may be mentioned that the camp located in the abandoned Firdaus Cinema was attacked by fidayeens in November 2005.

Three CRPF troopers and two intruding fidayeens had died in the attack.