The victim is fighting for her life at a hospital in Barasat town, about 15 miles from Calcutta. The husband has been arrested, according to the Hindustan Times.

Police said former soldier Enadul Mullick, 40, was so frustrated with his wife's constant nagging that he caught her by her hair, dragged her to their kitchen and used a cleaver to cut off her tongue.

Authorities said the couple often quarreled, with Halima, 30, the wife, complaining about Enadul's meager income. The husband charged the woman with having an affair with a neighbor.

"The couple was not on good terms. The husband has confessed to his crime," said police spokesman Parveen Kumar.