District and Session Judge, Rayagada, Janab Mohammed Ajmal held Netrananda Dandasena guilty under sections 109, 302 and 120 (B) of IPC and pronounced life term.
The verdict was delivered on the basis of the charge sheet filed by the Crime Branch of Police in the sensational killing of Itishree Pradhan, a lady teacher working at Tikiri in Rayagada district.
Pradhan was set ablaze after kerosene was poured on her in the school premises, where she was staying in a room, on October 27, 2013. She succumbed to burn injuries while undergoing treatment in Vizag on November 1, 2013.
"Dandasana was the lone accused in the incident. We had filed a charge sheet against him based on the dying statement of the lady teacher," Special Director General (crime), B K Sharma told reporters in Cuttack.
To a question, Sharma said Dandasena was the lone accused who poured kerosene on the teacher and set her on flames even though the CBI was investigating into suspected existence of a second person who allegedly lit the matchstick after kerosene was poured on her.
"Even though, the case had been lodged under section-307 of IPC initially, later, it was changed to section - 302 of IPC," Sharma said .
Itishree from Puri district was working as a teacher in an upper primary school at Tikiri when she was allegedly subjected to sexual harassment by the inspector of schools.
Though she had brought it to the notice of the district administration, district police, district education officer and even the state government to transfer her in view of the alleged incident, none came to her rescue.