Rourkela: A 25-year-old man allegedly attacked his wife with a sharp weapon, poured kerosene on her in their bathroom and burnt the body at Uditnagar here on Friday.

Later, the accused, Sanjit Jojo, surrendered to police. Marital dispute is said to be the motive behind the murder.

The deceased, Divya Toppo, 20, married Sanjit two-and-a-half years ago, and the couple lived at Khatal Busti near the railway station. They had eloped and got married. Sanjib was a driver and Divya was a student of Plus Two arts at Shrama Shakti College in Biramitrapur.

Local residents said Divya used to give tuitions to raise funds for her studies.

Mangal Kissan, who stays nearby, said the couple were decent to everyone. However, another local resident said the couple had a quarrel on Friday night.# Sanjit hit Divya's neck with a sharp weapon, apparently in a fit of rage. He then threw his bleeding wife's body in the bathroom and went out. Later, he came back, poured kerosene on her and set her on fire. He ran to Uditnagar police station and surrendered.

"Her face and other body parts were badly burnt," said additional superintendent of police D.P. Das. The body has been sent for post-mortem.