india

Updated: Jan 03, 2014 22:49 IST

A farmer in Jharkhand’s Simdega district committed suicide after hacking his wife to death following a quarrel over absence of salt in a vegetable curry, neighbours of the couple have told the police.

The incident took place on late on Thursday night in Kolibera area, around 85km from state capital Ranchi.

"Neighbours of the couple — Puneet and Shobha Lakra — heard them quarrelling over food,” a police officer said. "They overheard that the woman had forgotten to add salt in the curry."

Puneet, 30, came home around 10pm. He was reportedly drunk. According to the police, he attacked Shobha, 25, with an axe and killed her.

Later, Puneet committed suicide by hanging himself, using his wife’s saree as the noose.

“During investigation, we came to know that a quarrel ensued over the food served,” Brijj Kumar, the officer-in-charge of Kolibera police station, said on Friday.