A college principal in India died in hospital on Saturday, five days after a former student attacked her on campus with a sharp weapon, poured petrol on her and set her on fire.

Professor Vimukta Sharma, 54, principal of BM College of Pharmacy, reportedly suffered burns over 90 per cent of her body, and was put on life support after the attack last Monday.

“But she succumbed to cardiac pulmonary arrest on Saturday. She also suffered multiple organ failure,” said Dr Amit Bhatt of Indore’s Choithram Hospital, The Times of India reported.

The accused, Ashutosh Shrivastava, 24, was a former student of the college who allegedly blamed Prof Sharma for his failure to clear his Bachelor of Pharmacy exam, reported Hindustan Times.

Prof Sharma was on her way home in the evening and was approaching her car when Shrivastava reportedly attacked her, doused her in petrol and set her ablaze.

The victim ran towards the college building, where staff extinguished the fire and rushed her to a hospital.

Shrivastava – who reportedly also had burns, over 20 per cent of his body – tried to jump into a ditch to escape, but was nabbed by the police.

He had failed in the seventh semester in the college, said Indore police Superintendent Bhagwat Singh Virde, the Indian media reported.

The Times of India reported that Prof Sharma’s family said she had written to the police four times about Shrivastava issuing death threats against her, but no action was taken before the attack.

A police inspector has been suspended for not investigating the complaints.

Shrivastava has been charged with murder. He was in court on Saturday and sent to judicial custody.