Karnataka: Third accused arrested in Hampi tourist rape-murder case

Koppal (Karnataka), Mar 9 (PTI) Karnataka Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi said on Sunday that the third accused in the tourist rape case in Koppal district had been arrested.

Two women, including a 27-year-old Israeli tourist, were allegedly gang-raped and assaulted while stargazing near Hampi, police said on Saturday. The incident occurred on March 6.

Tangadagi stated that three individuals were involved in the crime. While two were arrested on March 8, the third accused was apprehended on Sunday.

"Three people were involved in this horrific crime, which should never have happened. Two were arrested yesterday, and the third was caught today," said Tangadagi, who is also the Koppal district in-charge minister.

He added that he has instructed the police to enhance security for tourists to prevent such incidents in the future.

According to police, the third accused was arrested in Tamil Nadu, where he had fled after the crime.

Earlier, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara said, on the night of March 6, two foreign nationals, including an Israeli citizen, along with two others, went out for stargazing on the banks of the Tungabhadra canal.

Three youths approached the group and asked for directions to a petrol pump. When the tourists expressed their unawareness, the youths robbed them.

One of the tourists had a verbal altercation with the strangers, and in a fit of anger, the men pushed the tourists into the canal. Three of the tourists managed to escape and the fourth from Odisha went missing. Later, Bibash’s body was recovered, he said. PTI