The attack took place on Thursday evening at the Tungabhadra Canal in Karnataka, where a 29-year-old Indian woman was hosting travelers. She took her guests, including two Indian men, an American man, and a 27-year-old Israeli woman, to the site when three men on a motorbike approached them under the pretense of asking for directions to a gas station. Moments later, the attackers demanded money before escalating their violence.
According to reports from Indian media, the assailants forcibly pushed the three men into the canal before sexually assaulting the two women. According to police official, Ram Arasiddi, one of the Indian men drowned, while the attackers stole the group’s personal belongings before fleeing the scene, reports the Associated Press.
Authorities in Karnataka have since arrested two local men in their early 20s and confirmed that a third suspect was apprehended on Sunday in connection with the gang rape of the Israeli woman. The case has sparked widespread condemnation across the country.
Karnataka state President B.Y. Vijayendra criticized the authorities, calling them “delusional and indifferent.” He assured that the government is committed to protecting all visitors and will implement stricter measures to prevent similar crimes.
Sexual violence remains a grave concern in India, where nearly 90 rapes are reported daily. Data from the National Crime Records Bureau revealed that over 31,000 rape cases were recorded in 2022—a 20 percent increase from the previous year. However, experts believe the real figures could be significantly higher due to the stigma surrounding sexual assault.
In response to growing outrage over sexual crimes, India has introduced stricter laws and penalties. Following mass protests, lawmakers amended rape laws in 2013 to criminalize stalking and voyeurism, while also lowering the age for criminal prosecution from 18 to 16. In 2018, the death penalty was approved for those convicted of raping children under the age of 12, according to Daily Mail.
Despite these measures, attacks on women—both local and foreign—continue to make international headlines. Last year, a Spanish tourist reported that his wife was raped in northern India, while an Indian-American woman said she was assaulted in a New Delhi hotel. In 2022, a British tourist was raped in front of her partner in Goa.
