Coimbatore rural police arrested one M Arumugam, 52, a ragpicker on charges of killing his wife, A Padmavathi, 45, also a ragpicker. The incident happened at Sridevi Nagar, Pappampatti, on the outskirts of the city.

The couple used to have drinks together. On the wee hours of Tuesday, while they were having drinks, Arumugam and Padmavathi entered into a brawl during which Arumugam lost his temper and smashed a liquor bottle on his wife’s head.

Unaware of what was happening, he had slipped into a slumber and was lying next to the dead body when the couple’s daughter arrived at the house in the morning and found the mother dead. The couple has three daughters and a son, all of whom are married.

A police official said that Padmavathi had suffered critical injuries and was profusely bleeding from the head which Arumugam was unaware of and fell asleep