India, June 26 -- A special Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) court in Pune on Thursday convicted a 65-year-old man for the rape and murder of a three-and-a-half-year-old girl in Nasrapur village, holding that the prosecution had established an "unbroken chain of circumstantial and forensic evidence" proving his guilt beyond reasonable doubt.

Special Judge SR Salunkhe has reserved the sentencing order for June 29. The prosecution has argued that the case falls within the "rarest of rare" category and warrants capital punishment, citing the extreme brutality and inhuman nature of the crime.

After pronouncing the conviction, the court asked accused Bhimrao Kamble what punishment he believed should be imposed. Kamble main...