Mathura, March 17 (IANS): An Uttar Pradesh police constable strangled his wife at his home here and is absconding, police said on Tuesday.

The incident took place late Monday at the Motikunj Enclave residence of police constable Vinod Kumar, currently posted in Etah.

Police officials probing the incident told IANS that the constable had come home on leave on Monday evening and had cooked Maggi noodles for the family. His two children - Yogita and Prateek - saw him mix something in the food and got suspicious. They did not consume the food though their mother, Madhu, did. The children feared that their father had mixed poison in the food.

The woman was found dead early Tuesday morning, her body slightly blue, suggesting poisoning and with the belt of the constable wrapped around her neck. Kumar was missing.

Police have launched a hunt to nab him and are probing whether there was some marital discord that led to the incident.