Israeli tourist and young Indian woman raped!
New Delhi, Mar 8 (EFE).-
As the world observed International Women’s Day, a 27-year-old Israeli tourist and a 29-year-old Indian woman, who owns a guesthouse, were gang-raped in southern India’s Koppal town by a group of assailants who also attacked three men accompanying them, police told EFE on Saturday.
“The attackers assaulted five people—three men and two women, including a 27-year-old Israeli tourist and a 29-year-old Indian woman,” said Koppal police superintendent Ram L. Arasiddi. The attack took place during the intervening night between Thursday and Friday.
The three male victims were beaten and thrown into a nearby canal, Arasiddi said.
“They were attacked and dumped in the canal. Two of them managed to swim to safety, but the body of the third victim was recovered today,” he added.
The two women were also physically assaulted and sexually abused.
“We conducted their medical examinations. They are recovering but deeply traumatized,” the officer said.
Police have arrested two suspects and are interrogating them.
The victims, two Indian men, an American tourist, and the two women, were stargazing when the attack occurred, according to Indian broadcaster NDTV.
The assault took place about 50 km from Hampi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Karnataka’s top tourist attractions. The location is approximately 350 km from Bengaluru, India’s tech hub.
Sexual assaults against foreign women visiting India are reported every year, with legal proceedings often progressing slowly. Between 2018 and 2022, only one in 25 rape cases involving foreign victims resulted in a conviction, according to India’s National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).
In March last year, a Spanish-Brazilian tourist was raped in Jharkhand while camping with her husband, who was brutally beaten by the attackers.
Recently, an Indian court sentenced a man to life imprisonment for the rape and murder of a 28-year-old British-Irish tourist in a popular beach area in western India.
Sexual violence remains a pressing issue in India, with ongoing calls for stronger measures to protect women. In 2022, the most recent year with available data, 31,500 women were raped, an average of 86 per day or nearly four women every hour.EFE
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