In a freak incident, a senior police officer of Nagaland shot dead his wife 'accidentally' at Wokha, the police said on Monday.

Yanitung Ezung, the accused, had a scuffle with his wife Thripile Sangtam at his residence on Sunday, and his service revolver accidentally went off with a bullet hitting her in the chest, sources said in Kohima.

The police officer immediately took her to the Wokha Civil Hospital where she was declared dead on arrival.

He subsequently surrendered to the police, the sources said.

Describing the incident as an accident, Wokha Superintendent of Police R P Kikon said Ezung was in the custody of the police and the additional superintendent of police was making an investigation.

Additional Chief Secretary and Home Commissioner E T Sunup, however, said in a release that the police officer had been suspended by Governor Shyamal Dutta and disciplinary as well as criminal proceedings had been initiated against him.