Bhubaneswar, Aug. 7: Soro police in Balasore district have arrested a woman and her lover in connection with the murder of her husband.

The victim has been identified as Gobinda Singh, 40, of Kianalia village.

The accused duo - Laxmi Singh, 35, of Kianalia and Bairagi Sahu, 32, of Baunsapal village - were remanded to jail after a local court rejected their bail pleas. The accused were booked under sections 302 (murder) and 120 (b) (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code yesterday.

On the evening of August 2, Gobinda and Laxmi were returning home. On their way to Kianalia, they were passing through a small jungle near the village. While passing through that particular stretch, Laxmi had earlier told the police, a group of criminals attacked them. They slit Gobinda's throat and fled the spot under the cover of darkness before she could react.

Following the murder, Laxmi lodged a police complaint on August 3, informing them that she could not identify the criminals as it was dark.

On receiving her complaint, the police suspected Laxmi, herself, from the initial stage of their investigation. They zeroed in on her and finally unearthed the mystery. Soro police station inspector-in-charge Kartik Malik said the motive behind the crime was the illicit relationship between Laxmi and Bairagi. "Laxmi had an extramarital affair with Bairagi. Gobinda was naturally opposed to it. Despite Gobinda's warning, their relationship was not terminated. Later, the accused hatched a conspiracy to eliminate Gobinda. On the evening of August 2, they acted upon their plan. Bairagi attacked Gobinda and slit his throat," said Malik. "The duo have confessed to the crime. We have also seized the weapon of offence, a sharp knife, from the possession of Bairagi," he said.

The police said Laxmi had married another person from Kudumpali village in Nilgiri police limits. The couple had two children. But after the death of her husband, Laxmi returned to her parental house at Kainalia village along with her children. During her stay at Kainalia, she developed a relationship with Gobinda and got married to him. But later, she fell for Bairagi.