The accused poured kerosene on his wife and set her on fire, polie said (Representational)
A 45-year-old woman was set on fire by her husband in Odisha's Jajpur district as she objected to his extramarital affair, police said on Friday.
Though the incident took place on Thursday in the New Market area, the woman, who suffered 80 per cent burn injuries, lodged a police complaint on Friday after officials met her at the SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack where she is undergoing treatment, they said.
The accused poured kerosene on his wife and set her on fire after a fight between the two, police said.
Problems were brewing between them over the man's alleged affair with another woman of the same locality. The man also used to torture his wife mentally and physically, police said.
"The woman had an argument with her husband over his extramarital affair. In a fit of rage, the accused thrashed his wife, poured kerosene on her and set her ablaze," said AK Mohanty, inspector-in-charge of the Jajpur Road police station.
Police said neighbours rescued the woman after hearing her screams.
She was initially admitted to a local hospital before being shifted to Cuttack as her condition deteriorated.
A case has been registered and an investigation is on, police said.
The accused fled the village soon after the incident, they said, adding that a manhunt is on to arrest him.