An Israeli woman tourist and another woman in Southern India gang raped in India. The two women, who were stargazing with three male tourists in Karnataka, were attacked by a group of men on Thursday night. A male tourist from Odisha was later found dead, police said.
“Five people – two women and three men – were attacked in Karnatka, and two of them are foreigners, an American man and another a woman from Israel,” said a senior police official.
“The woman [homestay operator] said in her complaint that besides being beaten up, the two women were sexually assaulted by the accused,” the police said.
According to police, a group of assailants on a motorbike initially approached the tourists asking for petrol and demanding 100 rupees. When the victims refused, the men turned violent, physically assaulting them, pushing the men into a canal, and then sexually assaulting the women.
“Since the homestay operator did not know them, she told them they had no money. When the men repeatedly insisted, one of the male tourists from Odisha gave them 20 rupees. After that, the three men allegedly started arguing and threatened to bash their heads with stones,” police said.
Two of the male tourists – from the US and Maharashtra – managed to escape, while the third tourist, from Odisha, was found dead, according to PTI news agency.
A case has been registered under sections related to extortion, robbery, gang rape, and attempted murder.
The victims are receiving medical treatment at a government hospital, the police said.
The attack has raised concerns about safety at a Unesco World Heritage site that attracts thousands of domestic and international tourists.
This tragic event underscores the ongoing issue of sexual violence in India. Despite legal reforms and stricter penalties following the 2012 Delhi gang rape, such assaults remain prevalent. In 2022, over 31,000 rape cases were recorded, marking a 20% increase from the previous year. High-profile cases involving foreign tourists continue to draw international attention to this pressing issue.
