Karnataka court awards death penalty to three for gang-raping Israeli tourist, murdering another in Hampi

The court had found them guilty on February 7 and reserved its order on the quantum of punishment for February 16.

Gangavathi (Koppal district): The First Additional District and Sessions Court on Monday awarded death sentence to three people convicted of raping an Israeli tourist and a homestay owner, and murdering a tourist from Odisha, near Sanapur lake in the taluk in March 2025.

The court convicted Mallesh (Handimalla), Saikumar and Sharanabasavaraj, residents of Sainagar in Gangavathi in both the cases, sentencing the trio to death.

The court had found them guilty on February 7 and reserved its order on the quantum of punishment for Feb 16.

According to Public Prosecutor Nagalakshmi, the homestay operator had taken the Israeli woman and three other male tourists, including Bibhas from Odisha, to Sanapur lake for skygazing on the night of March 6, 2025. The convicts approached the group of tourists and picked a fight with them. They pushed the male tourists into the Tungabhadra Left Bank canal and gang-raped women — the Israeli tourist and the homestay operator.

"Bibhas Kumar died due to drowning in the canal. Pankaj did not know how to swim but Daniel saved him," Nagalakshmi said.

"Since the offences involved were gang-rape, murder, murder attempt and extortion, judge Sadananda Naik awarded them the capital punishment under Section 103 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita," the prosecutor said.