# Azamgarh man who killed wife and priests dies in police encounter 2026-09-23T03:11:57+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 6 independent outlets A man who shot dead his wife and two priests in Uttar Pradesh's Azamgarh district was killed in a police encounter on Wednesday after an eight-hour standoff. The accused, Arvind Singh, also shot his 10-year-old son, who died in hospital. Police rescued his two daughters. The incident began around 6 pm on Tuesday when Singh returned home and objected to a puja being held there. He allegedly opened fire with a licensed weapon, killing his wife Babita Singh and priests Mahendra Pathak and Akhilesh Mishra, before locking himself in a room with his three children. Police surrounded the house and negotiated for hours. When a gunshot was heard from inside the room, officers breached the door using stun grenades. Singh fired at them, and police returned fire, injuring him. Both Singh and his son were rushed to hospital but died during treatment. Senior Superintendent of Police Anil Kumar said legal proceedings are underway. Hindustan Times reports the family claimed Singh was under the influence of a ghost and that the puja was meant to address his alcoholism. ## Indian Opinion Analysis All six outlets carry the same core account: Arvind Singh killed his wife and two priests, held three children hostage, and was shot dead by police after an hours-long standoff in which his son also died. The critical variation is in the motive. Hindustan Times alone reports the family's claim that Singh was under the influence of a ghost and that the puja was meant to address his alcoholism. Other sources omit this framing entirely and focus on the sequence of the police operation. No outlet questions whether the police response was proportionate. The unanswered question is whether the ritual's purpose, which Hindustan Times says Singh opposed, will play a role in the investigation the police have launched. ## Coverage - telanganatoday.com (neutral report) Straight news wire copy, no added motive or commentary - ndtv.com (neutral report) Focuses on encounter outcome and police self-defence justification - indiatvnews.com (neutral report) Straight agency-style reporting with police quotes only - indiatoday.in (neutral report) Neutral chronological account of events and police operation - timesnownews.com (neutral report) Police operation details and negotiation timeline emphasised - hindustantimes.com (sensationalist) Leads with family's ghost-possession claim, including alcoholism and Aadhaar-card demand detail Tags: Arvind Singh, Azamgarh, encounter, Uttar Pradesh Police Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/azamgarh-man-who-shot-wife-and-2-priests-killed-in-police-encounter-son-dead/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/azamgarh-man-who-shot-wife-and-2-priests-killed-in-police-encounter-son-dead/#story-in-brief