Karnataka Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi on Sunday confirmed the arrest of the third accused in the gangrape case involving a 27-year-old Israeli tourist and another woman in Koppal district. The horrific incident took place on the night of March 6 while the victims were stargazing near Hampi, police said.
Tangadagi, who is also the Koppal district in-charge minister, stated that three individuals were involved in the crime. “Three people were involved in this horrific crime, which should never have happened. Two were arrested yesterday, and the third was caught today,” he said. The third accused was apprehended in Tamil Nadu, where he had fled after the crime, police added, as per news agency PTI.
The Minister further said that he has instructed the police to bolster security measures for tourists in the region to prevent such incidents in the future.
Earlier, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara detailed the sequence of events leading up to the crime. He stated that on the night of March 6, two foreign nationals, including an Israeli citizen, along with two others, went stargazing near the Tungabhadra canal when three youths approached them asking for directions to a petrol pump. When the tourists expressed their unawareness, the men allegedly 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 them managed to escape, but the fourth, Bibash from Odisha, went missing. Later, Bibash’s body was recovered,” Parameshwara said.
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‘Such Incidents Deter Tourists From Visiting Our Country’: Minister Says K’taka To Enhance Security At Tourist Spots
In response to the incident, Parameshwara assured that security at major tourist destinations, including Hampi, will be significantly strengthened. “Definitely, we are going to step up our security measures in places like Hampi and other tourist places,” he told reporters on Sunday, as per PTI. The government will also reassess existing security protocols, and tourists visiting Karnataka will be briefed on safety guidelines such as the dos and don’ts to ensure their safety.
The Minister also noted that the crime, which involved the alleged gangrape of two women, including an Israeli national, and the murder of a US citizen, is likely to impact Karnataka’s tourism sector. “On the one hand, we are trying to attract tourists from across the world, while on the other, incidents like this deter tourists from visiting our country,” he remarked.
So far, two accused have been arrested, with the third now in custody. Investigations into the case are ongoing.
