The three accused in the Hampi gangrape case had sexually assaulted two women, including an Israeli tourist, besides pushing their three male companions into a canal leading to the death of one of them
GUWAHATI, March 9: Two accused involved in the shocking Hampi gangrape case have been arrested while the third accused is still on the run.
Two women — a 27-year-old Israeli national and a 29-year-old homestay owner — were allegedly gang-raped by three men near the Hampi heritage site in Karnataka on Thursday night when they along with three other male companions — a tourist from the United States and two other travellers from Maharashtra and Odisha — were stargazing on the banks of a canal on Thursday night.
The three accused, reports said, had arrived on a motorcycle and inquired as to where they could get petrol. When they were told that there was no petrol pumps nearby, the trio demanded Rs 100 from the women victims and their male companions.
Reports stated that the trio then began abusing the homestay owner and her companions even after the traveller from Odisha gave the trio a 20-rupee note.
The three accused then pushed the three men into the canal before dragging the homestay owner to the side of the canal where two of them raped her. They also snatched her purse and stole two mobile phones and Rs 9,500 cash, the victim stated in her FIR.
Another accused then dragged the Israeli tourist and raped her as well.
While two of the three men, including the American tourist, had a close shave as they were able to swim out of the waterbody, the body of the traveller from Odisha was recovered from the canal yesterday (March 8).
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah termed the Hampi gangrape case a “heinous crime” and said swift action have been taken by police and that two of the three accused have already been arrested.
“As soon as the incident was reported, I directed the concerned police officials to take immediate action, conduct a stringent investigation, and swiftly apprehend the culprits. The police have already arrested two accused and are continuing the investigation,” Siddaramaiah wrote on ‘X’.
Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara, meanwhile, said that security arrangements at tourist destinations will be further strengthened in the wake of the incident.
