NEW DELHI— An Israeli female tourist and an Indian woman were gang-raped, and a man was killed in an attack late Thursday night (March 6) near Hampi, a UNESCO World Heritage site in southern India, local police said Saturday.
The victims were part of a group of five tourists—three men and two women—who were stargazing when three assailants approached them, leading to an altercation over money, said police superintendent Ram Arasiddi.
The attackers forced the three male tourists into a river canal before assaulting the two women, Arasiddi told Reuters.
Two of the men, including an American tourist, survived, while the third man’s body was recovered Saturday morning.
Police have arrested two of the suspects and are searching for the third, Arasiddi said, adding that further investigations are underway.
The attack comes amid ongoing concerns over women’s safety in India, which has faced global scrutiny following a series of high-profile sexual violence cases.
Last year, the rape and murder of a junior doctor in Kolkata triggered nationwide protests, reigniting debate over women’s security and law enforcement failures.
