Court sentences 3 men to death for gang rape, murder near Hampi last year
They were accused of raping two women, including an Israeli tourist, and of the murder of a male traveller in March 2025; a sessions court in Koppal calls crime ‘rarest of rare’
A sessions court in Karnataka’s Koppal district on Monday (February 16) sentenced three men to death after convicting them for the gang rape of two women, including an Israeli tourist, and the murder of a male traveller near Hampi last year.
The convicts — Mallesh alias Handimalla, Sai, and Sharanappa — were found guilty of rape and murder by the Gangavathi District and Sessions Court. Pronouncing the sentence, the judge observed that the brutality of the crime placed it in the “rarest of rare” category, warranting the maximum punishment under the law.
One of the rape survivors told The Federal on Tuesday, "Justice has been served. I hope this leads to a safer and free world."
The night of the attack
The incident took place on the night of March 6, 2025, near the Tungabhadra Left Bank Canal in Sanapura village, close to the heritage town of Hampi. According to the prosecution, the three accused approached a group comprising two women — an Israeli tourist and a homestay operator — and three male tourist friends.
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Police said the men demanded money from the group. When the demand was refused, the accused turned violent. They pushed the three male tourists into the canal and sexually assaulted the two women.
While two of the men managed to swim to safety, one tourist from Odisha drowned in the canal.
Shock and outrage
The crime had triggered nationwide outrage and raised concerns about tourist safety in the region, which is a major international destination. Civil society groups and political leaders had condemned the attack, calling for swift justice.
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With Monday’s verdict, the court underscored the gravity of the offence, stating that the calculated violence, sexual assault, and loss of life justified capital punishment.