India, June 26 -- The rape and murder of a three-and-a-half-year-old girl in Nasrapur, which sparked widespread public outrage, has become one of the fastest-concluded trials under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, in Maharashtra. The accused was convicted within 55 days of the crime, while the court has reserved the quantum of punishment for June 29.

The offence occurred on May 1, and a special POCSO Court in Pune convicted the accused on June 25. Pune rural police and prosecution officials said the swift conclusion of the case was made possible through a coordinated effort involving police investigators, forensic experts, medical officers and prosecutors.

Addressing reporters after the verdict, special...