3 death-sentenced for gang-raping Israeli, killing male tourist in Hampi
What's the story
A court in Karnataka has sentenced three men to death for their involvement in a brutal crime near Hampi in 2025. The convicts, Mallesh alias Handimall, Sai and Sharanappa, were found guilty of gang-raping an Israeli tourist and a homestay owner and murdering another male tourist from Odisha. The sentence was pronounced by Judge Sadananda Nagappa Naik at the First Additional District and Sessions Court in Gangavathi on Monday.
Crime scene
What happened on the fateful night
The incident took place on March 6, 2025, when a group of tourists went stargazing near Sanapur Lake. The group included a 27-year-old Israeli woman, a 29-year-old homestay owner, and three male tourists from the United States, Odisha and Maharashtra. While they were sitting by the Tungabhadra canal playing guitar and listening to music, the three men on a motorcycle approached them seeking directions to a petrol pump.
Attack aftermath
Drowned tourist was from Odisha
After asking for directions, the men demanded money from the tourists. When refused, they started assaulting them and pushed the three male tourists into the canal. While two managed to swim to safety, the Odisha tourist drowned. The assailants also sexually assaulted both women and robbed them of their mobile phones and cash before fleeing.
Public reaction
Outrage over crime, accused arrested within days
The gruesome nature of the crime, involving foreign nationals at a popular tourist destination, sparked outrage across the country and raised concerns over safety. Police launched a manhunt immediately after the incident and arrested all three accused within days. During the sentencing, the judge declared that the crime fell under the rarest of rare categories, warranting the maximum punishment.