MNS chief Raj Thackeray on Monday said there was a need for a law like Sharia (Islamic) to check serious crimes against women and children.

Ahmednagar: Slamming the BJP-led state government over the gangrape and murder of a minor girl in Ahmednagar, MNS chief Raj Thackeray on Monday said there was a need for a law like Sharia (Islamic) to check serious crimes against women and children.

He said the hands and legs of those who rape and kill minors and women should be cut off.

A 15-year-old girl was brutally raped and killed by three men on 13 July at Kopardi village in the district.

"Such incidents are the outcome of the collapsed law and order situation in the state and the present government is proving itself worse than the past Congress-NCP led government," Raj told PTI.

He was speaking after visiting the Kopardi village in Karjat tehsil, about 76 km from the district headquarters, where he met the family members of the deceased and offered his condolences this morning.

"There is an urgent need to create the laws like Sharia (Islamic law) for controlling serious crimes against the women and the children. The anti-social elements are creating a state of terror and there is a need to make the laws stringent," Raj said.

He also suggested to make necessary changes to control the misuse of the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Raj later also had a meeting with his party workers at Pathardi in the district following which he told mediapersons that "The time has came that we must cut hands and legs of the criminals who gangrape and murder the minors and the women."

"Our normal legal procedures take undue long time for the judgements and it indirectly boosts the courage of the criminals," he pointed out.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Ahmednagar Guardian Minister Ram Shinde had yesterday met family members of the gangrape victim at Kopardi.

Fadnavis had expressed his deepest condolences and assured strongest action against the culprits and strictest punishment through fast track court.