Police in Sankhuwasabha apprehended a 49-year-old man on the charge of killing his wife and burying her body in Madi Municipality.

The suspect, Prem Dorchi Sherpa of Madi Municipality-3, has been taken into custody and remanded for investigation on a charge of murder.

Deputy Superintendent of police Kumar Prasad Mainali said that the incident occurred on the night of November 25 at around 10.30 pm while Sherpa and his 37-year-old wife, Meena Sherpa, were returning home from Okharbote Bazaar. The couple reportedly had a dispute over a minor issue, which escalated into a physical assault, resulting in the woman’s death.

He said that the suspect admitted to burying the body the same night in his cardamom field in Madi-3 after wrapping it in a tarpaulin.

Following the incident, Sherpa filed a complaint at the Madi police post in Mangalbare on December 13, claiming that his wife was missing.

During the investigation and questioning, police grew suspicious, after which he confessed to the crime, Mainali said.

A team led by Inspector Parshuram Rai from the Area Police Office, Chainpur, recovered the decomposed body during excavation at the site.

Police said the district court in Chainpur has granted a remand extension to continue the investigation.