A man allegedly killed his wife following an argument that erupted as she refused to serve him food after both of them had alcohol together and later slept with the body not realising that she was dead, police said.

The next morning, upon realising that he had killed his wife, the man fled with over ₹ 40,000 cash. He was, however, tracked down and arrested from another location in Delhi, they said.

Police identified the accused as Vinod Kumar Dubey (47), a resident of Sultanpur.

On Friday around 9.20 am, a caller informed police that Dubey beat up his 39-year-old wife Sonali and smothered her with a pillow during an argument, a senior officer said.

A police team inquired the caller and the people residing in the area about the accused. The location of the accused was tracked down and he was arrested.

A total of ₹ 43,280 along with a bag containing his belongings, two liquor bottles and a bloodstained pillow have been recovered from his possession, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Pawan Kumar said.

Dubey disclosed that the couple drank alcohol together on Thursday night and when he asked her to bring food for him, she refused. This led to an argument between them and his wife slapped him, Mr Kumar said.

In a fit of rage, he killed his wife. He was trying to flee Delhi along with the cash, but was arrested, police said.

They both got married in 2008, police added.