PRAYAGRAJ, Oct. 18 -- A man allegedly bludgeoned his 41-year-old wife to death with a brick after she objected to his drinking in Pratapgarh, police said on Saturday. He initially claimed that masked robbers had killed her during an attempted robbery at a banking kiosk he ran. However, he allegedly confessed to the crime during questioning, police added. The accused, Ajay Yadav, a resident of Pathatakala village under Fatanpur police station limits in Pratapgarh, was arrested after police registered a murder case against him. The case was based on a complaint filed by his father-in-law, Gama Yadav, who had come from Jaunpur. Ajay runs a medical store and a banking kiosk a short distance from his house. His wife, Manju, stayed at home, while their 20-year-old daughter and 18-year-old son lived elsewhere. According to police, Ajay informed his family, his wife's parental family and the police on Friday night that four masked men had entered their house around midnight when Manju stepped out to use the washroom. He claimed that the intruders had asked about the money kept at the banking kiosk and made the couple unconscious by forcing them to inhale an unidentified substance. He further claimed that he regained consciousness around 2 am and found Manju dead, ASP (East) Alok Kumar said. However, police officials grew suspicious after Ajay allegedly gave contradictory statements during questioning. He was taken to the police station, where, according to police, he confessed to killing his wife following an argument over his drinking. He allegedly struck her on the head with a brick while intoxicated, the ASP added. When questioned about why the incident had gone unnoticed by family members and neighbours, Ajay reportedly blamed the loud music playing at nearby Durga Puja pandals....