The police arrested a West Bengal native for allegedly murdering his wife and burying her body near an under-construction house at Ayarkunnam here, officials said on Sunday.

The accused has been identified as Soni SK (31), a native of Dharapara in Murshidabad district of West Bengal.

He was working as a construction labourer in Ayarkunnam and was taken into custody from a railway station in Ernakulam while allegedly attempting to flee to his hometown.

Soni is accused of murdering his wife, Alpana Khathoon (28), also of Murshidabad, and burying her near an under-construction house at Ayarkunnam, where the couple worked.

According to police, Soni had lodged a complaint on October 17, claiming that his wife had gone missing three days earlier.

In his statement, Soni said Khathoon had acc

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