Police in southern India have arrested two men in connection with the alleged gang rape of an Israeli woman and a local homestay operator. The incident occurred on the night of Thursday, March 7, 2025, in Koppal town, located in the southern state of Karnataka.
According to police official Ram L. Arasiddi, the Israeli woman and her homestay host were stargazing with three male travelers—an American and two Indians—when three men on a motorbike approached them and demanded money. After an argument, the assailants pushed the male travelers into a nearby water canal and sexually assaulted the women. Tragically, one of the Indian tourists drowned, and his body was recovered on Saturday. The American and the other Indian tourist managed to swim to safety.
Koppal is approximately 350 kilometers (217 miles) from Bengaluru, India’s bustling startup and technology hub.
Arasiddi stated that a special investigation team was formed, leading to the arrest of two out of the three suspects on Saturday. The suspects are being investigated for attempted murder, gang rape, and robbery.
The Associated Press typically does not identify victims of sexual assault.
Sexual violence against women remains a pervasive issue in India. According to the National Crime Records Bureau, 31,516 rape cases were reported in 2022, marking a 20% increase from 2021. However, the actual number is believed to be much higher due to the stigma surrounding sexual violence and victims’ lack of trust in law enforcement.
Rape and sexual violence have been under intense scrutiny since the brutal 2012 gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old student on a New Delhi bus. The incident sparked nationwide protests and prompted lawmakers to establish fast-track courts for rape cases and impose stricter penalties.
In 2013, India’s rape laws were amended to criminalize stalking and voyeurism and to lower the age at which a person can be tried as an adult from 18 to 16. In 2018, the government approved the death penalty for those convicted of raping children under the age of 12.
Despite these stringent measures, cases of brutal sexual assaults continue to surface frequently.
High-profile incidents involving foreign visitors have drawn international attention to the issue. Last year, a Spanish tourist claimed in a since-deleted video that his wife was raped in northern India, while an Indian-American woman reported being raped at a hotel in New Delhi. In 2022, a British tourist was raped in front of her partner in Goa.