A court in southern India has sentenced three men to death for the gang-rape of two women, including an Israeli tourist, and the murder of a male tourist in a violent attack near Hampi, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Karnataka. The incident, which occurred on 6 March 2025, drew international condemnation.
The district court in Koppal classified the case as “rarest of rare” due to the brutality of the crime. The three convicted men – Mallesh alias Handi Malla, 22; Sai alias Chaitanya Sai, 21; and Sharanappa alias Sharanabasavaraj, 27 – were found guilty on 6 February of gang-rape, attempted murder, robbery, and other offences. They had prior criminal records.
The attack took place near Sanapur Lake in Hampi, where a group of five people, including a 27-year-old Israeli woman and a 29-year-old Indian homestay host, were stargazing and camping. Three men on a motorbike demanded money; when the victims refused, the assailants physically assaulted them, pushed the men into a canal, and sexually assaulted the women. An American tourist, Daniel Pitas, survived, but a male tourist from Odisha was found dead the next day.
Police described the conduct of the attackers as “inhuman”. The court emphasised that such brutality against domestic and international tourists merited the harshest punishment to uphold the rule of law and public safety. The death sentence is subject to appeal and must be upheld by the Karnataka High Court.
The incident renewed concerns over the safety of women and foreign tourists in India. In 2022, police recorded 31,516 rape cases nationwide, a 20 per cent increase from the previous year, though actual figures are believed to be higher due to underreporting.
