Three men were convicted while six others were acquitted by a court in Cuttack today in the gang-rape case of a nun in Odisha's Kandhamal district in 2008.While the main accused - Mitua alias Santosh Patnaik - was held guilty for rape, two others - Gajendra Digal and Saroj Bahdei - were convicted under section 354 (outraging modesty of a woman) of the Indian penal code.The court is likely to pronounce the quantum punishment for the three convicted men later in the day.Six persons were acquitted due to lack of evidence.38 people were killed in the riots which occurred in the tribal-dominated district in the aftermath of the killing of VHP leader Laxmanananda Saraswati at his Jalespata Ashram on August 23.

The nun had alleged she was attacked, gang-raped and paraded semi-naked through the streets two days later on August 25.