Three troopers were killed and an equal number wounded when an irate soldier went on a shooting spree inside an army camp in the Rajouri district of Jammu region early Saturday morning.

A defence spokesman in Jammu said a trooper of the signal regiment opened heavy fire from his service rifle at his colleagues inside the camp at Narian village.

"Three Army soldiers died on the spot," said Lt Col R KChibber, defence spokesman in Jammu. He said the soldier later shot himself and two others.

"We don't know the exact reason for the soldier's behaviour. An inquiry has been ordered," Lt Col Chibber told rediff.com.

The three injured, including the irate soldier, were evacuated to hospital for treatment.

Such incidents that have taken place from time to time are being attributed to continuous deployment of soldiers in a highly hostile environment, long separation from families and, sometimes, refusal of leave.

Defence authorities in Jammu and Kashmir have now enlisted the help of counsellors to ease the built-up tension among the soldiers doing counter-insurgency duties in the state.