Mumbai, June 29 -- A special court in Pune on Monday awarded the death penalty to 65-year-old Bhimrao Kambale for the brutal rape and murder of a three-year-old girl, describing the crime as "heinous."

The landmark verdict has triggered a massive political wave, with prominent leaders demanding permanent fast-track mechanisms to deliver justice within a strict four-month window for crimes against women and children.

Congress leader Nana Patole and party MLA Aslam Shaikh on Monday called for fast-track trials and stringent punishment in cases involving crimes against women and children, following a Pune court's decision to award the death penalty to a man convicted of raping and murdering a three-year-old girl in Nasrapur.

Reacting to t...