Patna, Jan 28 : A Dalit woman burnt herself and her five children to death after a quarrel with her husband in Bihar's Sasaram district Monday night.

Manju Devi, in her early 30s, set her children and herself ablaze at their residence, police said.

The incident sent shockwaves among the local people.

N.K. Mishra, officer in charge of Sasaram police station, said a family dispute led to the tragedy. "Some neighbours told us that there was a heated exchange between husband and wife minutes before the incident," Mishra said.

The woman's husband, Jitendra Ram, a class four staff with the state electricity department, was present at the time his wife took the extreme step, but he fled after crying out to people to save them.

Police are investigating the matter.