A sessions court in Koppal district of Karnataka on Monday sentenced three men to death after convicting them in the gang rape of two women, including an Israeli national, and the murder of a male tourist near Hampi last year.
The convicts have been identified as Mallesh alias Handimalla, Sai and Sharanappa. The Gangavathi District and Sessions Court pronounced the sentence after holding them guilty of rape and murder in connection with the March 6, 2025, incident.
The crime took place near the Tungabhadra Left Bank Canal in Sanapura, close to the heritage town of Hampi. According to the police, the three men allegedly approached two women, an Israeli tourist and a homestay operator, along with three male tourists, and demanded money from them late at night.
When the group refused, the accused allegedly pushed the three male tourists into the canal and sexually assaulted the two women. Police said two of the men managed to swim to safety, but a tourist from Odisha drowned in the canal.
The attack had sparked outrage across the country and drew strong condemnation from various quarters. While awarding the death penalty, the court observed that the offence fell under the “rarest of rare” category, warranting the maximum punishment under the law.
