Ranchi, March 3 (IANS): A court in Jharkhand on Tuesday awarded the death penalty to three men convicted for their involvement in the rape and murder of a 6-year-old minor girl. The court's verdict has come just 28 days after the incident.

Dumka district court judge Taufikul Hassan convicted the three -- Mithu Rai, Pankaj and Ashok Rai, and awarded them the death penalty.

The trial has been concluded in just four days of hearing. On Monday, the hearing lasted till 9 p.m. in the night. Police had presented 16 witnesses before the court in the case.

On February 5, the six-year-old girl had come to her grandmother's home to visit a mela (fair) organised on the occasion of Saraswati Puja.

The same evening, Mithu Rai said to be a relative (uncle) of the girl took her to the fair.

When they were returning, three persons took turns to rape the girl. Later, she was strangled and her body was dumped in some bushes.

The body was recovered on February 7.

Interestingly, Mithu Rai was also part of the team of villagers that was looking for the "missing girl". He, however, went to Mumbai fearing arrest after the body was recovered.

He was arrested from Mumbai on February 8 and brought back to Dumka. Based on his statement, two more persons Pankaj and Ashok Rai were also arrested.

Before awarding the death penalty the judge reportedly sought the views of the family regarding the sentencing. The family members demanded the death penalty.