The police have arrested a 21-year-old man for allegedly murdering his wife and disposing of her body near a stormwater drain off Gopalapura Main Road in West Bengaluru.

The accused has been identified as Mohammad Izar, a native of Bihar, who allegedly killed his wife, Ruksana Khatun, 25. The incident came to light on October 13, when a beat police officer found Ruksana’s decomposed body near the drain.

An investigator in the case said that they launched investigations to identify the body. “When we were inquiring about any possible missing persons in the locality, a resident revealed that Izar’s wife had not been seen in the area for some time. When Izar was questioned, he lied, saying that she had gone to her native place,” the officer said.

However, when asked to contact her, Izar gave various reasons, raising suspicions. Subsequent investigations revealed that he had allegedly murdered Ruksana.

According to the police, the incident occurred on October 10. Izar reportedly suspected that his wife was having an affair with another person. The couple allegedly fought over the issue at their house, and the argument escalated, ending with Izar smashing Ruksana’s head with a stone.

“He then wrapped her body in plastic covers, transported it on his work scooter to a spot near a stormwater drain and disposed of it,” the officer said.

Police investigations revealed that Ruksana had divorced her previous husband and met Izar in Bihar. The couple got married about a year ago and moved to Bengaluru.