Goa MP Shantaram Naik on Wednesday said those guilty of raping minors should be awarded death sentence and all the rape cases be disposed of within six months through fast track courts. Reacting to the rape of a nine-year-old Russian girl last evening, Naik, the lone Rajya Sabha member from Goa, told PTI from Delhi that the rapist of minors should be subjected to death sentence and if required, Indian Penal Code (IPC) should be amended to include this provision.

The Congress MP had earlier stirred hornet's nest by his statement on the floor of the House that rape of a lady who moves with strangers for days together, even beyond middle of the night, is to be treated on a different footing.

Fast track courts or special courts should be set up to deal with rape cases which need urgent justice, he said.

Speaking about a spate of rape cases in Goa, Naik said there is a wrong impression nationally that the state government is not doing much to control these offences.

"Goa government is serious in curbing such cases and has been working overtime to prevent such crimes," he said.

Naik said he will take up the issue of stringent punishment to criminals raping minors during the next Rajya Sabha session.

A nine-year-old Russian girl was raped on the Republic Day evening by an unidentified man at Arambol beach in North Goa when she was playing in the beach waters.