The crime occurred on 6 March near Sanapur Lake. The assailants allegedly demanded ₹100, and when the survivors refused, they were assaulted. Police have discovered blood-stained clothes and a broken guitar at the scene
Published Mar 08, 2025 | 6:53 PM ⚊ Updated Mar 08, 2025 | 6:53 PM
Israeli tourist and homestay owner allegedly gang-raped in Karnataka (@nabilajamal_ on X)
Synopsis: The horrific assault and gang-rape of an Israeli national and a local homestay owner in Sanapur, Gangavati Taluk, Koppal District, has shaken the state. The crime occurred on 6 March near Sanapur Lake when a group of men reportedly attacked the survivors, stargazing with friends. The assailants allegedly demanded ₹100, and when the survivors refused, they were assaulted.
A horrific incident occurred near Hampi, Karnataka, on 6 March around 11 PM. A 27-year-old Israeli tourist and a 29-year-old local homestay owner were allegedly gang-raped by three unidentified men near Sanapur Lake, Gangavati Taluk, Koppal District.
The survivors were stargazing with their friends when a group of men on motorcycles demanded ₹100. When they refused, the attackers pushed the men into the canal. Tragically, one of their friends, Bibash from Odisha, drowned, and his body was recovered on 8 March.
Two of their male friends, Daniel from the USA and Pankaj from Maharashtra, managed to escape. Police found blood-stained clothes and a broken guitar at the scene.
Koppal SP Ram L Arasiddi said that a massive manhunt is underway, and two accused, Mallesha alias Handi Malla (22) and Chetansai Sillekkyathar (21), have been arrested by Gangavati Rural Police.
Both are residents of Sai Nagar, Gangavati Taluk. Another accused is still absconding, and police are searching for him. This shocking incident has raised concerns about tourist safety in the area.
The horrific assault and gang-rape has shaken the state. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah condemned the crime, calling it “deeply heinous.” He assured that immediate steps had been taken to apprehend the culprits.
In a post on X, Siddaramaiah confirmed that as soon as the incident was reported, he directed concerned police officials to launch a stringent investigation.
“The police have already arrested two accused and are continuing the investigation,” the Chief Minister stated. He reiterated the government’s commitment to ensuring the safety of every individual, including tourists, and vowed to implement measures to prevent such incidents in the future.
The horrific assault and rape of an Israeli national and a homestay owner in Sanapur, Gangavati taluk, Koppal district, is a deeply heinous crime.
As soon as the incident was reported, I directed the concerned police officials to take immediate action, conduct a stringent…
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) March 8, 2025
State president of the BJP Karnataka and MLA of Shikaripura, Vijayendra Yediyurappa, took to X, condemning the incident as “deeply disturbing” and criticising the state government for its failure to maintain law and order.
He highlighted the growing lawlessness in the state, especially following the Hampi Utsava, which honours the grand legacy of the Vijayanagara Empire.
Yediyurappa emphasised the stark contrast between Karnataka’s glorious past and its current state, lamenting the government’s apparent negligence. “Instead of focusing on governance and public safety, the Home Minister and the cabinet seem more preoccupied with hosting dinner parties,” he said, expressing frustration over the government’s lack of focus on ensuring the safety of its citizens.
With rising crimes against women, Yediyurappa claimed that the administration was indifferent to the suffering of the people, criticising it for failing to protect the state’s residents. He concluded by labelling the current administration as a “curse on Karnataka.”
It is deeply disturbing to hear about the horrific rape of two women, a foreign national and a homestay owner reportedly from Koppal district, near the Tungabhadra canal.
Criminals now act with impunity, unafraid of consequences, even in the immediate aftermath of Hampi Utsava,… pic.twitter.com/SEbXjx3OG4
— Vijayendra Yediyurappa (@BYVijayendra) March 8, 2025
(Edited by Ananya Rao with inputs from Nolan Patrick Pinto)
