Two arrested in gang-rape case of Israeli tourist, homestay owner in Karnataka

Koppal: Karnataka Police have arrested two persons on Saturday in connection with the horrific incident of three persons committing gang rape on two women, a tourist from Israel, and a female local homestay owner and killing a male Indian tourist who was with them. 

The incident was reported from the Gangavathi Rural police station located close to the UNESCO heritage site Hampi.

The arrested persons are identified as 22-year-old Mallesh aka Handi Malla and 21-year-old Chetan Sai Sillekyatar. Both are arrested by the Koppal Rural police. Both the arrested accused are locals and residents of Sainagar in Gangavathi taluk in Koppal district.

Another accused, their close associate has managed to escape from the police and the special teams have intensified the hunt for him.

The incident had taken place on Thursday night when the homestay owner had taken female tourists from Israel, and the US, a male tourist from Odisha and the deceased to the banks of Tungabhadra Left Bank Canal near Sanapura village near Gangavathi town for stargazing.

When the tourists were stargazing on the banks of the Tungabhadra canal, the accused who came to the spot on a bike, approached them on the pretext of asking for petrol and started demanding money from them.

After being refused money, they attacked the group with stones, pushed the others into the canal, and raped the women.

The 29-year-old homestay owner, one of the victims of the sexual assault, has filed a complaint with the police regarding the incident.

The accused have disappeared after committing the crime.

The police stated that medical tests have confirmed sexual assault on the victims.

Another tourist from Odisha has been found dead in the canal. His body was recovered from the canal at 10.30 am on Saturday, he stated.

The deceased tourist has been identified as 40-year-old Beebas.

Police sources state that the incident had taken place at 3 am in the morning and it has not come to the notice of the locals.