Mangaluru (Karnataka) : A man from Nellur Kemraje village shot his wife dead and ended his life by consuming acid used for rubber processing, police said on Saturday.

Ramachandra Gowda killed his wife, Vinoda Kumari, on Friday night. He later ingested rubber acid and died shortly after, according to the police.

Gowda, reportedly an alcoholic, frequently quarrelled with his family members, including his parents, wife, and son, during his nightly bouts of intoxication.

His son, Prashanth S R (26), a resident of Kodimajalu, revealed that his father returned home heavily drunk on Friday and began verbally abusing his parents and wife.

The confrontation escalated when Gowda entered the under-construction kitchen of their house and got into a heated argument with his wife. In a fit of rage, he fatally shot her with a firearm.

After the incident, Gowda consumed acid and succumbed to it shortly thereafter.

The Sullia police have registered a case of murder and a violation under the Arms Act. Further investigations are underway, according to Dakshina Kannada Superintendent of Police N Yathish.