Baripada, Sept. 20: Mayurbhanj police have arrested two persons in a four-month-old case that initially appeared to be a case of unnatural death but now seems to be one of murder.

Police yesterday arrested Gurubari Singh, 25, wife of deceased Madha Singh, 30, and her brother-in-law Sudam Singh, 32. They were sent to jail after a court in Udala rejected their bail plea.

The police had suspected their involvement right from the beginning but their suspicion was confirmed when they got Madha’s autopsy report.

On May 15, Madha, a native of Sadanandapur village under Chakradharpur gram panchayat in Kaptipada block, was found dead in a forest close to the nearby Hariadachua village.

Gurubari had filed a report at Nudhudhia police station claiming that her husband had committed suicide. Although the police began investigating it as a case of unnatural death, as the probe progressed the cops began to suspect the involvement of Gurubari and Sudam.

Their suspicion was confirmed when the post-mortem report said that Madha had died of injuries to his ribs and neck. Four of his ribs were broken and one of these had punctured the right lung.

After sustained interrogation of the two accused, the police came to know that they had killed Madha after he objected to their illicit relationship. The marriage between Madha and Gurubari was solemnised about seven years ago and they had a son and daughter.

Inspector in-charge of Kaptipada police station Niranjan Dhir said: “The accused were under our surveillance after villagers gave some clues. The motive behind the crime was extra martial relationship.”