Gangtok, Sept 6: A man has been arrested by the Naya Bazar police on charges of murdering his wife in West Sikkim. The incident came to light when a woman’s body was discovered in a forest area above Baiguney Block Administrative Centre (BAC), under the jurisdiction of Naya Bazar police station.

The accused, identified as Hemchandra Rai (45), was apprehended after a search operation led by the police. The deceased, Mira Rai (47), originally from Negi Basti, Darjeeling, was living in the Baiguney area of Soreng district at the time of the incident. According to police reports, Hemchandra allegedly killed his wife by hitting her with a stone.

Upon receiving information, the police launched an investigation and arrested Hemchandra Rai, who had been absconding after the incident near Pipley, Baiguney. The accused is currently in police custody at Naya Bazar police station, where he is being interrogated.

A case has been registered against Hemchandra Rai under Section 103 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Soreng District Superintendent of Police, Nakul Pradhan, stated that the accused will be presented in court on Friday, where the police will seek further remand for investigation.