A man beat his 32-year-old wife to death with a rolling pin in front of their four children in East Delhi’s Harsh Vihar on Sunday afternoon after a domestic quarrel, police said Monday.

The suspect, Aftaab, 35, fled after the murder. The four children, between the ages of three and eight, sat with the body for nearly five hours before one of them walked over to their grandmother’s home some lanes away and informed her.

The weapon was found next to body. Aftaab worked odd jobs. “His first wife had left him a few years ago. Their two children lived with him,” said Ved Prakash Surya, DCP (north-east).

About a year ago, Aftaab married Sayema, whose husband had died in a road accident. “Sayema had got lakhs as compensation after her husband’s death,” said a senior police officer, requesting anonymity.

But they would allegedly fight often. “Aftaab suspected Sayema of having an affair. He would keep asking for money. If she refused, he would use the alleged affair as excuse to beat her.”

Around 8 am on Sunday, the couple quarrelled again. “He wanted money for alcohol but she refused. So he accused her of having an affair and began beating her up,” the officer said.

He then picked up the rolling pin from the kitchen and beat her. “Once she fell unconscious, Aftaab banged her head against the wall, picked up some money and escaped,” said the officer.

The four children tried to intervene, but were allegedly pushed away. “They stayed with the woman’s body from 8am to 1pm. When she didn’t respond, one of them walked to their grandmother’s home and called her,” the officer said. A case has been registered.