The arrested were identified as Devendra Singh (41) and his wife Saya Singh (33), both natives of Uttar Pradesh. Kattur police said the couple was attempting to dispose of the body of a man, Manoj (30), also from Uttar Pradesh, whom the husband had murdered on Saturday night when they were detained.

Police said the couple, staying in Ramanathapuram locality in Kattur village near Ponneri, earns a livelihood as daily wage workers. Police said Manoj had developed intimacy with Saya in the last six months as Devendra Singh had been regularly travelling outstation for work.

Recently, Manoj had been pestering Saya to leave her husband forever and elope with him. When she refused, Manoj allegedly threatened her saying he would show photographs of them together, which he had clicked on his mobile phone, to Devendra Singh.

A worried Saya, on Saturday, confessed to her husband and sought his forgiveness after which the couple decided to eliminate Manoj. And as per the plan, both went to the house of Manoj in the night, where a furious Devendra Singh allegedly hit Manoj with a club, killing him on the spot.

The couple then decided to dispose of the body on the railway tracks. They put the body in a gunny bag and were transporting it on a two-wheeler towards the track when two policemen on night rounds stopped them. The cops, who smelt something fishy, checked the bag and found the body inside.

After questioning the couple, the police arrested the two. Further investigation is on.