Paradip, Oct. 11: In a violent fallout of an extramarital relationship, a 27-year-old woman and her one-and-half-year-old daughter were allegedly burnt to death.

The incident took place at Gobindpur village, which falls under the proposed Posco Steel project area near Paradip.

The deceased woman's stiff opposition to her husband's relationship with another woman cost her not only her life, but also that of her infant daughter.

Subhendu Bhoi, 32, an autorickshaw driver, was arrested for the two murders.

"He has confessed to the crime. The assailant is being subjected to interrogation, as there is every possibility that he may have been assisted by some aides in committing the gruesome murder," said Anirudh Routray, an inspector at Abhayachandpur police station.

The charred body of Pravati Bhoi, 26, and the baby girl was retrieved from their house early this morning.

"Subhendu had fled from the village lending credence to the suspicion that he was behind the crime. Later, he was apprehended from near Paradip," said Routray.

The accused had allegedly developed an illicit relationship with another woman from Gadama village in Raghunathpur and got married to her. As a result, Subhendu's conjugal relationship with Pravati strained considerably.

The accused made up his mind to kill both the mother and the baby girl.

He perpetrated the crime around 2.30am. Pravati and her daughter were asleep when he locked up the room and set it on fire. Both the victims were burnt alive. Since the house was located at an isolated spot, nobody had any idea what had happened.

Local residents were shocked when they found the charred remains of the bodies.

Pravati's elder brother Malaya Das in his complaint accused Subhendu of murdering his sister.

"My sister was being tortured every time she objected to her husband's illicit affair. She had earlier told me that he was planning to kill her," said Das.