Death Sentences in Karnataka Gang-Rape Case

Three men have been sentenced to death by a court in the southern Indian state of Karnataka for the gang rape of an Israeli tourist and another woman, as well as the murder of a local man. The verdict was delivered on Monday, 16 February, by a district court, marking the culmination of a case that has drawn widespread condemnation both in India and abroad.

According to reports published by The Jerusalem Post, citing Indian media, the attack occurred in March this year in Koppal district. Five individuals were targeted in the brutal assault: two Indian nationals from Maharashtra and Odisha, an American tourist, an Israeli tourist, and the owner of a local homestay who had been hosting the group.

The Incident

On the day of the attack, the homestay owner had taken the visitors on a sightseeing excursion in a rural area of Koppal. During the outing, three men—identified as Mallesh (also known as Handimalla), Saikumar, and Sharanabasavaraj—approached the group on a motorcycle. They reportedly initiated contact under the pretext of resolving a “financial dispute”.

What began as a verbal confrontation quickly escalated into violence. Prosecutors told the court that the assailants pushed three male members of the group into a nearby canal and then proceeded to gang-rape the two women. To prevent the men from climbing out of the canal, the attackers allegedly hurled stones at them. One victim died at the scene, while another drowned. A third man survived with assistance from the American tourist, according to the prosecution.

Charges and Sentencing

The accused were convicted on multiple counts, including gang rape, murder, attempted murder, robbery and extortion. The case was tried under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, India’s revised criminal code.

Presiding Judge Sadananda Nagappa Naik imposed the death penalty under Section 103 of the code for the charge of murder. In addition, the three men were sentenced to life imprisonment—described by the court as imprisonment “until their last breath”—for the offence of gang rape. The sentences are to run concurrently, although capital punishment takes precedence subject to confirmation by a higher court, as required under Indian law.

A summary of the case is provided below:

The case has renewed debate in India regarding tourist safety, rural policing, and the application of capital punishment in cases of extreme sexual violence. Under Indian law, death sentences must be reviewed by the relevant High Court before they can be carried out, and the convicted individuals retain the right to appeal.