NEW DELHI (AP) — Authorities in southern India reported the arrest of two men on Saturday in relation to the alleged gang rape of an Israeli woman and her local homestay operator. The incident occurred in Koppal, a town situated in the southern state of Karnataka, on Thursday night while the victims were stargazing with three male travelers—an American and two Indians.
According to police official Ram L. Arasiddi, the group was approached by three men on a motorcycle who initially asked for money. Following a heated exchange, the assailants overpowered the male travelers, pushing them into a nearby water canal. Subsequently, the women were sexually assaulted. Tragically, one of the Indian tourists drowned in the incident, with his body recovered later on Saturday. The American and the other Indian managed to swim to safety.
Koppal is located approximately 350 kilometers (217 miles) from Bengaluru, India's renowned startup and technology hub. Arasiddi indicated that following the assault, police established a special investigation team that successfully apprehended two of the three suspects on Saturday. The men are being investigated for charges including attempted murder, gang rape, and robbery.
The Associated Press typically does not disclose the identities of sexual assault victims. The increasing prevalence of sexual assaults against women in India has become a growing concern, as the National Crime Records Bureau reported 31,516 rape cases in 2022—a 20% rise from the previous year. This figure is thought to be significantly underreported due to societal stigma surrounding sexual violence and victims' lack of faith in law enforcement.
The issue of rape and sexual violence gained prominence in India following the brutal gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old student on a New Delhi bus in 2012. This horrific incident sparked widespread protests and led to legislative changes aimed at expediting the judicial process for rape cases and imposing harsher penalties for perpetrators. Amendments to the rape laws in 2013 included the criminalization of acts such as stalking and voyeurism, as well as lowering the age at which individuals can be tried as adults from 18 to 16. In 2018, the government introduced the death penalty for those convicted of raping children under the age of 12.
Despite the introduction of stringent laws, reports of brutal sexual assaults continue to emerge with alarming frequency. High-profile cases involving foreign visitors have brought significant international attention to the alarming issue of sexual violence in India. For instance, last year, a Spanish tourist publicly claimed 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 attacked and raped in front of her partner in Goa.
The investigation into the recent incidents in Koppal is ongoing, reflecting the serious and persistent challenge of addressing sexual violence in the country. The arrest of the suspects marks a critical step in holding perpetrators accountable, but it also underscores the broader need for continued vigilance and reform to ensure the safety of women in India.
