New Delhi, Mar 1 (IANS): Expressing shock at the kidnapping, gang-rape and killing of three minor sisters in Maharashtra last month, Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde Friday said police in the state was making every effort to nab the perpetrators.

"I am deeply shocked that three minor girls from same family were brutally murdered after being sexually abused and their bodies thrown in a well in a village in Maharashtra's Bhandara district," Shinde told Rajya Sabha in a statement.

Shinde said the girls went missing on Feb 14 and their bodies were found three days later.

"The in-charge of the police station was suspended for not seriously taking the report of missing girls. Several teams have been formed to pursue different line of investigation," he said.

Shinde said efforts were on to nab the perpetrators.

The three sisters, aged between 11 and six, went missing Feb 14, Valentine's Day, after attending school. Two days later, their brutalised bodies were found in a well.

Shinde identifies Bhandara rape victims, names expunged

The names of the three minor girls who were raped and murdered in Maharashtra's Bhandara district had to be expunged Friday after Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde identified them in the Rajya Sabha, attracting the ire of the opposition BJP.

Shinde read out a statement on the gruesome incident in Maharashtra where three minor sisters were kidnapped, raped and murdered last month. Their bodies were taken out from a well.

Shinde named all the rape victims, which according to thelaw is prohibited.

The matter was raised by Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley, who said he shouldn't have named Bhandara rape victims.

"As per the Criminal Law Ordinance 2013, the identity of rape victims is never to be revealed. However, the home minister in paragraph two has given names of all the three victims," the Bharatiya Janata Party leader said.

"The whole house is discussing the issue. Home minister should consider this fact and withdraw the statement and have it corrected and place it again at 2 p.m.," he said.

Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien ordered that the names be expunged.

"It is a very important matter and it (names) should be treated as expunged and media should also not use the names in any reports else action will be taken," said Kurien.