Durgapur, May 26: A civil contractor has allegedly killed his wife and buried her body in the courtyard of his rented house here on suspicion that she was having an extramarital affair.

Police today arrested Hyder Ali, who according to them, had confessed to the murder. Rina Begum, 32, was battered to death with a hammer on Tuesday morning and after burying the body, Ali disappeared from his rented house at Benachity.

The contractor called up his landlord this morning and informed him about the murder. Police dug up the decomposed body wrapped in a polythene sheet after being informed by the landlord.

The police have sent the body for post-mortem.

"Hyder told us that his wife had an affair with a mason who worked under the contractor on various construction sites. The mason hailed from Birbhum's Nanoor where Hyder used to live. When Hyder came to know about the wife's affair, he arranged the mason's marriage but he soon divorced his wife," said a police officer.

However, the contractor said the affair had continued. "Hyder feared he would be murdered by Rina and his paramour. So, he murdered her. Hyder battered his wife to death with a hammer and buried her," said the officer.

After burying the body in the courtyard, Hyder remade the floor with marble tiles.