Karnataka Horror: Two Women, Including Israeli Tourist, Gangraped Near Hampi, 2 Arrested

Bengaluru: A horrifying crime has emerged from Karnataka’s Hampi, a UNESCO World Heritage site, where two women, including an Israeli tourist, were raped, and three male tourists were assaulted and thrown into a canal. One of the men, a tourist from Odisha , was found dead on Friday morning, sparking outrage and a large-scale police investigation.  

In a latest development on the Hampi gangrape, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah confirmed that ""Police have arrested 2 accused," he also the condemned the "heinous" crime and vowed to  ensure any such “incident will not recur”

The incident occurred late on Thursday night between 11:00 PM and 11:30 PM near Sanapur Lake, a popular tourist spot about 4 km from Hampi. According to police, the victims—a 27-year-old Israeli woman, a 29-year-old homestay operator, and three male tourists from Odisha, Maharashtra , and the United States—were sitting by the lake, listening to music when the attack took place, according to sources. 

Three men on motorcycles approached the group, asking for petrol. When the homestay operator informed them that there was no petrol station nearby, they demanded money. When the tourists refused, the men turned aggressive, assaulting them and pushing the three male tourists into the Tungabhadra canal. They then raped both women before fleeing the scene.  

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While two of the injured men managed to escape and are currently under treatment at a government hospital, the third, identified as Bboss from Odisha, went missing after being thrown into the water. A search operation was launched early Friday morning, involving police teams, dog squads, and fire department officials. His body was later found in the lake, confirming fears that he had drowned.  

A case has been registered at Gangavathi Rural Police Station under multiple sections of 309(6) (theft or extortion) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 311 (robbery with intent to cause death or serious injury), 64(rape), 70(1) (gang rape), 109 (attempt to murder) of BNS. With the confirmation of the tourist’s death, charges related to murder will also be added to the case, according to the sources. 

According to the complaint, the attackers spoke Kannada and Telugu. After pushing the male tourists into the water, two of the three men raped the women. The survivors, still in shock, alerted authorities after escaping from the scene.  

A special police team has been deployed to track down the assailants, and security has been tightened around Hampi.

(This is a developing story, more details are awaited)