Koppal, 16 Feb

A court in Karnataka on Monday sentenced three people to death for sexually assaulting an Israeli tourist and murdering a youth in Koppal last year.

The Gangavathi Civil Court delivered the judgment, sentencing the convicts - Mallesh alias Handi Malla, Sharanabasava andChaitanya Sai - to death.

The court had on 7 February found them guilty and reserved the order for 16 February.

On Monday, the court pronounced the quantum of punishment.

According to the prosecution, the heinous crime took place near Sanapur on 6 March, 2025.

The Israeli-origin woman was subjected to inhuman sexual assault. The incident had made international headlines and cast a shadow over the district’s tourism.

Public Prosecutor Nagalakshmi told reporters that the homestay owner had taken tourists Pankaj from Maharashtra, and Bibhas from Odisha, Daniel from the US and an Israeli woman for stargazing at Sanapur near Tungabhadra canal under Gangavathi rural police station limits at about 10.30 pm.

Just then the three accused reached there on a motorcycle and picked up a fight over a financial dispute, she added.

With an intention to rape these women, the convicts pushed the three men into the canal. To ensure that they do not come out, they threw stones on them. Later, they gang raped the home-stay owner and the Israeli national, the Public Prosecutor said.

“Bibhas Kumar died due to drowning in the canal. Pankaj did not know how to swim but Daniel saved him,” Nagalakshmi said.

She added that after raping the women, the accused decamped with their mobile phones, cash and a camera.

“It was a case of gang rape, murder, attempt to murder, robbery and extortion. Hence the Judge Sadananda Nagappa Naik under section 103 of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita gave them capital punishment. For the gang rape, the court ordered imprisonment till their last breath,” Nagalakshmi said.

She added that the accused can go for appeal.