A 47-year-old woman on Saturday was stabbed to death allegedly by her teenager son following a heated argument over his drinking habit, police said.

The incident took place in Lagisapalli area under Paderu Police Station limits in Andhra's Visakhapatnam. The deceased was identified as M Simhachalam, while the accused, M Ramesh Babu (19), is a second-year intermediate student.

The mother and son would have frequent fights over the latter's drinking habit. Simhachalam repeatedly asked her son to stop drinking and concentrate on studies, police said.

Late on Saturday, Ramesh came home in an inebriated condition and this enraged his mother. A verbal fight ensued during which Babu fatally stabbed his mother in the wee hours and fled, they said.

Simhachalam was found in a pool of blood at her home.

Paderu Sub-Inspector S Suryaprakash said they have launched a search for Babu.