Brutal crime near Hampi: Israeli tourist, homestay owner gang-raped; Odisha man murdered

Koppal, Karnataka: A brutal crime near Karnataka’s UNESCO heritage site of Hampi has raised alarm over tourist safety in the region.

According to police reports, an Israeli tourist and a female homestay owner were gang-raped, while a male tourist from Odisha was killed after being thrown into a canal. The horrific incident took place in the early hours of Friday near the Tungabhadra Left Bank Canal in Sanapura village, Gangavathi.

The victims—two female tourists (one from Israel and another from America), a homestay owner, and two male tourists (one from Odisha)—had ventured to the canal banks for stargazing. Around 3 am, three unidentified men on a bike approached them, pretending to ask for petrol. When the tourists refused to give them money, the situation turned violent.

The assailants attacked the group with stones before forcing the three men into the canal. Two of them managed to escape, but 40-year-old Beebas, a tourist from Odisha, drowned. His body was recovered from the canal on Saturday.

The two women, including the 29-year-old homestay owner, were then sexually assaulted by the attackers before they fled the scene.

Police response and investigation

The police were alerted to the crime when the homestay owner, one of the rape victims, managed to file a complaint. Medical examinations have confirmed sexual assault.

Authorities have since identified the suspects and deployed two special teams to track them down. However, the accused remain on the run.

"The priority is to arrest the culprits as soon as possible. The victims are in shock, and we are ensuring their safety while gathering more details on the crime," said a senior police officer from the Gangavathi Rural police station.

The incident has triggered outrage, particularly as it occurred near Hampi, a popular tourist destination in Karnataka. Local residents and tourism stakeholders are calling for stricter security measures to ensure the safety of visitors.

Police sources have also raised concerns about why five individuals could not resist three attackers. While investigations are still ongoing, officials are examining whether the victims were intoxicated at the time, which may have impacted their ability to fight back.

With the accused still at large, Karnataka police are under mounting pressure to ensure swift action. The incident has also renewed debates on the safety of women and tourists in India, particularly in isolated areas.

Authorities have urged anyone with information to come forward as the manhunt continues. The survivors, meanwhile, remain in a state of trauma, with medical and psychological support being provided.

More details are awaited as investigations progress.

(Agency inputs included)