A 27-year-old man was arrested by suburban police on Sunday for allegedly beating and strangling his wife to death and then attempting to deceive the police by hanging her body to make it look like a suicide.

Police said Sheela Padmini, 23, and her husband Vinod Kumar of New Perungalathur, often fought, as Kumar was an alcoholic and did not care for his family. Early on Sunday, the couple quarreled at Sheela’s parents’ house in Mudichur High Road, Balaji Nagar, Perungalathur.

Sheela had given birth to a baby boy 45 days ago and was living at her parents’ home while Vinod was living in New Perungalathur.

Vinod, who worked as a sales supervisor in a construction company had arrived home drunk on Saturday night and Sheela had quarreled with him about his irresponsible behaviour and his neglect of their newborn baby. Police said Vinod had bought fruits for his ill mother and this angered Sheela, who accused him of not caring for her and their baby.