MEERUT: A 40-year-old man, Om Sharan Maurya, was arrested in Bareilly for murdering his wife, Amarwati (35), and attempting to mislead investigators by staging the crime as a highway robbery, police said on Thursday. SSP Bareilly Anurag Arya said that the couple had visited the Purnagiri temple in the early hours of Thursday. Maurya initially claimed that while they were returning home, four men attacked them near Usaitha village on the Aonla-Wazirganj Highway, looted their valuables, and stabbed Amarwati when they resisted. “Maurya claimed that he suffered minor scratches on his chest, while his wife died from a deep injury to her face,” said the SSP. However, SP (North) Anshika Verma said the husband’s version fell apart during questioning. “He broke down during interrogation. We found the woman’s jewellery, bag, phone, and their bike at the spot, confirming that nothing was stolen and the robbery angle was fake,” she said. The investigation revealed the murder was pre-planned. Maurya later confessed he was in an illicit relationship with another woman who allegedly pressured him to kill Amarwati, as she was a hurdle between them. “Police have booked him under BNS Section 103 (murder), and the woman involved will also be arrested and face action for criminal conspiracy,” SSP Arya said.