A man in east Delhi has been arrested for allegedly killing his wife over suspicion of an illicit relationship, a police official said on Tuesday.

The accused was identified as Sunil Kumar, 28, a native of Uttar Pradesh's Hardoi.

Police said that on Sunday evening, a call was received regarding the murder of a woman at her house in the Khajuri Khas area. A team was sent to the spot and discovered a body, lying face down, beneath the bed and bloodstains in the room.

"The deceased's daughter mentioned that her stepfather, Sunil, had been missing since September 16, after locking the door to their room. A local inquiry revealed that Sunil and Draupadi engaged in frequent altercations," Deputy Commissioner of Police, Northeast, Joy Tirkey said.

Draupadi was last seen alive at around 12:30 noon on September 16 by her daughter.

"The locked room was subsequently opened in the presence of the landlord, revealing the lifeless body.

"The deceased had an injury on her forehead, and a scarf was wrapped around her neck," said the DCP.

During the initial probe, it was discovered that Draupadi's initial marriage was to Jyotish Yadav, with whom she had four children. The other three children reside with Yadav in Bihar's Madhepura.

"Draupadi retained custody of one daughter and had been living with her second husband, Sunil, for the past seven years. They did not have any children together," the DCP said.

The post mortem examination revealed that death was due to strangulation. Sunil was apprehended and on interrogation, it was revealed that he suspected that his wife was having an illicit relationship with another man.

"The couple had frequent arguments over the issue. On the fateful day, in a fit of rage, Sunil hit her on the forehead with a hammer and then strangled her. He then pushed her dead body under the bed, locked the house and ran away," said the DCP.

(IANS/SR)