Mysore/Mysuru: A 40-year-old man was allegedly murdered by his wife, for suspecting fidelity of the latter at Hootagalli in Vijayanagar Police limits in city on Wednesday (Feb.15).

Manjunath, son of late Mill Siddegowda, who was residing near Marigudi at Hootagalli is the deceased. His wife Nikhita has been arrested by the Police on charges  of murder. The couple were married for 10 years and have two sons.

Manjunath, who had married Nikhita of Bogadi was leading a happy life, till differences cropped up among them. Six years ago, Nikhita had even eloped with her facebook friend and was traced at Raichur. The relatives had brokered the truce and convinced Nikhita to live with her husband. But Manjunath continued to suspect his wife’s fidelity and was even torturing her physically and mentally. Besides, he was abusing her in front of their neighbours suspecting her fidelity.

In a fit of rage, Nikhita smothered Manjunath to death, when he came home drunk on Tuesday (Feb.14). After doing her husband to death, Nikhita rushed to her sister-in-law Suneetha’s (elder sister of Manjunath) house nearby at 11 pm, tried to cook up a different story, asking her to come home to check his condition. Nikhita allegedly told Suneetha that ‘Manjunath came home in an inebriated condition and collapsed and have put him on the sofa and he is not speaking anything.’

Suneetha checked on her brother and rushed him to Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research on KRS Road where the doctor confirmed that Manjunath was already dead. Meanwhile, the neighbours of Manjunath, who knew about the differences among the couple, started accusing Nikhita of murdering her husband.

Vijayanagar Inspector Pradeep and staff, who reached the spot, took Nikhita into custody on suspicion. During interrogation, the Police came to know that Nikhita herself had murdered her husband.

Following a complaint by Suneetha, a murder case has been registered against Nikhita, who was arrested and produced before a Court, which remanded her to judicial custody. The body of Manjunath was handed over to relatives after post-mortem at the MMC&RI mortuary.

The two children of the couple who are orphaned, with their father murdered and mother sent to jail, are currently under the care of their grandmother, the Police said.