India, Sept. 23 -- A man accused of killing his wife and two priests at his Azamgarh residence shot dead one of his two children he had held hostage for seven hours, before police shot him on Tuesday night.

According to local police, trouble began when the accused - Arvind Singh - returned to find a 'puja' or prayer service being held inside his house.

Azamgarh Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Anil Kumar said preliminary investigation revealed that Singh's family, including his wife Babita, organised the puja after observing his "unusual behaviour" and "drinking habit". "They believed he was under the influence of a ghost and organised the puja to address the problem. Singh was opposed to the ritual," he said.

Published by HT Digi...