Police in North Goa district on Thursday arrested a 44-year-old man for allegedly murdering his ailing wife and burying her in the rubble of an under-construction canal in Narve village, in Bicholim sub district.

A police official said, that the accused Tukaram Shetgaonkar has been arrested and booked under section 302 (murder) and 201 (destruction of evidence) for the murder of his wife Tanvi (42).

The victim had been ailing for several months and was in the care of her husband.

"Late on Wednesday night, in a fit of frustration, the accused killed his wife and carried the corpse to river canal construction site and buried it. The corpse was discovered by labourers working onsite on Thursday, who reported the matter to us," a police official attached to the Bicholim police station said.