The family of Arvind Singh – who killed his wife, two priests and one of his three children in Azamgarh on Tuesday – claimed that he was under the “influence of a ghost” and used to consume a lot of alcohol, police said.
An investigation is underway to determine the exact cause. After he shot his wife and two of the four priests, Singh locked himself inside a room with his three children. Amid continuous persuasion, another shot was heard from the room where Singh had locked himself with his three children. With the safety of the remaining children at risk, officers opened retaliatory fire and injured Singh. “After shooting and killing three people—including his wife—in village Shambhupur, the accused, Arvind, held his three children hostage in a room. the sound of a gunshot was suddenly heard from inside the room While the police were attempting to persuade the accused to surrender and rescue the children.
The incident unfolded in Shambhupur village under Ahraula police station around 6 pm on Tuesday when Singh allegedly returned to find a ‘puja’ or prayer service being held inside his house. His mother, Samla Devi, 70, and his three children—a five-year-old daughter, six-year-old son and seven-month-old daughter—were also present at the incident.
However, a priest who was present at the scene and managed to escape told the police that the ritual was linked to concerns in the family that the soul of Singh’s elder brother, who died two years ago, was not in peace. His wife, Babita, was conducting a religious ceremony to find solutions for Singh’s “unusual behaviour” and “alcoholism” and believed he was ”under the possession of a ghost”. Police said they repeatedly warned him to surrender and release the children, but he refused. Police said Singh had shot one of the children. As the police team—led by him—rushed into the room to rescue the children, the accused opened indiscriminate fire on them,” SSP Kumar said.
On Tuesday night, Singh shot dead his wife, two priests and one of his three children before he was shot by police.
