Nagpur, Feb 10 (IANS): A court in Maharashtra's Wardha has sentenced, to life imprisonment, the convict in the sensational incident in which a young woman lecturer was doused with petrol and set afire by him on a road outside her college in Hinganghat town two years ago, a top law officer said on Thursday.

"The court has found the prime accused Vikesh Nagrale guilty and sentenced him to life imprisonment, implying jail till death, for the offence committed two years ago," Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam told media persons.

The Wardha court also slapped a fine of Rs 5,000 on Nagrale and declined to give any remission in the sentence for the time spent in jail as undertrial after he was arrested within hours of committing the heinous crime.

The family members of the victim - who were present in the court when the verdict was pronounced - said they accepted the verdict but had expected the death penalty for the convict. Many locals, women, students, activists and supporters of the family were also present outside the court in large numbers.

Nikam, who had strongly argued for the death sentence, said the government will study the detailed court order before taking the next step of challenging the verdict.