Man held for strangling wife in West Champaran

Bettiah: Police on Friday arrested a man for allegedly strangling his wife to death following a domestic quarrel and later hanging her body from a mango tree to make it appear as a case of suicide in West Champaran district.According to police, the incident took place in Narkati village under Laukaria police station area. The body was found hanging from a mango tree in an orchard on June 10 night.Bagaha SP Ramanand Kaushal said, “Laukaria police received information around 11pm on June 10 that a woman’s body was hanging from a mango tree in Narkati village. Soon the local police, FSL team and senior officers reached the spot. The body was found hanging from a tree branch.”The body was brought down and shifted to the police station. The next morning, the deceased was identified as Hemlata Kumari (24), wife of Gautam Kaji, a resident of Narkati village.Following identification of the body, a police team led by Ramnagar SDPO visited the woman’s matrimonial home. Police said the woman’s husband attempted to flee on seeing the police but was apprehended and taken into custody.During interrogation, Gautam allegedly confessed to the crime.

According to the police, Gautam told investigators that he had a quarrel with his wife on June 10 evening after which he assaulted her before leaving the house. Police said the accused later followed his wife to a nearby sugar cane field, where in a fit of rage he allegedly threw her to the ground and strangled her.Investigators said the accused then hid nearby and waited for darkness. Later, when movement in the area had reduced, he allegedly carried the body to a mango orchard and hung it from a tree using the victim’s ‘dupatta’ in an attempt to portray the death as a suicide.Police said the accused led investigators to both the sugar cane field where the murder allegedly took place and the mango tree where the body was found hanging.