Initially, the police suspected that the 47-year-old Pugalendi, a painter, was mauled to death by stray dogs in a bush when he was under the influence of liquor.
However, the post-mortem report revealed it was a murder, as his throat was slit. Investigations led to the arrest of his wife, Maheshwari, a construction worker, police said.
They said that during the course of interrogation, Maheswari confessed to have committed the crime with the help of her paramour, Prasad, also a construction worker, hailing from Kerala.
Cases under IPC section 302 (punishment for murder) have been registered against them and both were remanded in judicial custody and lodged in the central jail, they said.