{
  "id": 9264862,
  "title": "Man kills wife and priests in ritual dispute, dies in police encounter",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/23/man-kills-wife-and-priests-in-ritual-dispute-dies-in-police-encounter",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-23T04:14:18.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Hindu",
    "slug": "the-hindu",
    "url": "https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/uttar-pradesh/man-kills-wife-and-priests-in-ritual-dispute-dies-in-police-encounter/article71498239.ece"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A man named Arvind Singh killed his wife, Babita, and two priests, Mahendra Pathak and Akhilesh Mishra, in Shambhupur village of Azamgarh district due to a dispute over a religious ritual. Following the killings, Singh barricaded himself along with his three children inside the house, creating a hostage situation. Local police and Special Operations Group (SOG) were alerted to the scene. According to eyewitnesses, Singh's mother had invited the priests to conduct rituals for the peace of the soul of Singh's brother, which led to the fatal altercation. Singh opposed any religious ritual taking place in the village. When police arrived, Singh opened fire, killing Pathak and Mishra before turning the gun on his wife. Singh then shot his youngest child before police retaliated, injuring him. Both Singh and his child succumbed to their injuries in the hospital. Police have evacuated the remaining two children and are currently collecting evidence and conducting legal proceedings.",
  "summary": "After shooting two priests and his wife, the accused Arvind Singh locked himself along with three children inside the house, creating hostage situation",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Times of India",
        "title": "UP man accused of killing wife, 2 priests shot dead after 7-hour standoff",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/22/up-man-accused-of-killing-wife-2-priests-shot-dead-after-7-hour",
        "published": "2026-09-22T22:03:28.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Hindustan Times",
        "title": "7 hours of terror: Man kills wife, priests and son in UP hostage drama; shot dead by police",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/23/7-hours-of-terror-man-kills-wife-priests-and-son-in-up-hostage-drama",
        "published": "2026-09-23T02:49:33.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}