Kanpur (UP) | A woman, her female partner and a hired assailant were arrested for allegedly killing her husband in Uttar Pradesh's Fatehpur district, police said on Tuesday.

The victim, Ram Sumer Singh (45), who objected to their relationship, was found dead with his throat slit in a pulse field in Tiker village, Asothar, on January 14.

Superintendent of Police Fatehpur Anoop Kumar Singh said that the investigation revealed that the prime accused, the victim's wife Renu Devi (35), had been in a relationship with Malti Devi alias Budhdhi (35) for around 18 months.

"When the two women were prevented from meeting each other, they allegedly conspired to remove the victim, so that they could live independently," the SP added.

According to the police, Malti Devi contacted her acquaintance Jitendra Gupta alias Ziddi (45), an e-rickshaw driver, and allegedly hired him to kill Ram Sumer Singh for Rs 60,000. An advance payment of Rs 8,000 was made, with the remaining amount to be paid after the crime.

On the night of January 13, the victim was allegedly lured to his field, where Gupta and his associates, Raju Sonkar and Ram Prakash alias Maddu, were waiting. The assailants reportedly strangled Singh with a rope before slitting his throat and dumping the body in the field, they said.

The police have arrested Renu Devi, Malti Devi and Raju Sonkar on Sunday, while Gupta and Ram Prakash are absconding, the officer said.

Three mobile phones allegedly used in planning the crime, blood-stained clothes and the rope used in the murder have been recovered. The knife used in the killing and the victim's missing mobile phone are yet to be traced, the police said.

"The accused have confessed to their roles during questioning," the SP said.