COIMBATORE: A 27-year-old man was arrested on Sunday for murdering his paramour and burying her body in his plantain farm in Erode.

Police said Mohan Kumar (27), from Santhipalayam village near Getticheviyur in Gobichettipalayam, had an affair with Sonia (35), from the Appakudal area. His wife ditched him over domestic squabbles as they were childless, while the deceased woman’s husband passed away two years ago, and she has two children.

Some residents, who had gone to collect mushrooms sprouting after the recent rains, were shocked to find strands of the woman’s hair protruding out of the surface soil and informed the Siruvalur police. They also noticed a blood-stained knife nearby.

The Siruvalur police rushed to the spot and exhumed the body, and a post-mortem performed at the Government Medical College Hospital in Perundurai revealed that she was murdered.

Police then tracked the woman to be Sonia, based on a missing persons complaint filed by her mother. She worked in a beauty parlour in Thindal and did not return home after work since Thursday.

After inquiries, the police picked up Mohan Kumar, who confessed to having murdered the woman by slitting her throat and smashing her head with a stone, before burying the body on his farm. However, the rains washed away the covered soil, which eventually led to the exposure of the murder.

“They got to know each other while working in a garments firm. Though Mohan Kumar killed her as she insisted on getting married,” the police said. Further inquiries are on.