In a rare ruling, a court in the western Indian state of Maharashtra has sentenced to death two sisters convicted of kidnapping 13 children and killing six of them.

The Kolhapur district and sessions court judge ordered that the women - Renuka Kiran Shinde and D Seema Gavit - be hanged.

It is only the fourth time that women have received the death penalty in India.

Pronouncing the verdict on Thursday, the judge said that the convicts kidnapped innocent children who were unable to offer any resistance.

The children were then tortured and forced to beg.

Shocking case

According to the judge, the sisters and their mother - who died in custody - used to kill the children brutally once they outlived their utility.



