Tourist & homestay host gang-raped in India, sparking mass exodus of visitors
Two women — an Israeli tourist and her homestay host — were gang-raped near a Unesco World Heritage site in the southern city of Hampi, India, sparking outrage and concern.
The brutal attack, which took place on Thursday night (6 March), also resulted in the tragic drowning of one of the women’s male companions in a nearby canal.
3 men push male companions into canal before attacking women
On the night of the assault, the two women were joined by three male companions — an American tourist and two Indian men — while they stargazed peacefully.
Three men then arrived on a motorcycle and initially asked for directions to the nearest petrol station.
According to witness accounts from one of the women, the men then demanded 100 rupees (S$1.50) from the group.
When the homestay owner refused, the men insisted, leading one of the male companions to give them 20 rupees (S$0.30).
This sparked an argument before the men pushed the three male companions into the Tungabhadra River canal.
Source: BBC
Without their male companions to protect them, the three assailants seized the opportunity to gang-rape the two women.
While two of the men, including the American tourist, survived the fall, one man tragically drowned.
Attack prompts tourist exodus
According to the BBC, all three men involved in the attack have been arrested.
Source: The Indian Express
However, the shocking incident has caused many tourists to cancel their plans to visit the popular heritage site.
“Almost 90% of the tourists, most of whom are Israelis, have vacated homestays and left the area after Thursday,” said a local tour guide.
Some travellers made last-minute changes to their plans, eager to leave the town as quickly as possible.
One tourist mentioned they had planned to stay until Holi, a Hindu festival on 14 March, but decided to head to Pushkar in Rajasthan instead.
Authorities have advised travellers not to venture out late at night and to travel in groups.
Also read: Man throws pregnant woman off moving train in India after she resists sexual assault attempt
Man throws pregnant woman off moving train in India after she resists sexual assault attempt
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Featured image adapted from the Associated Press.Â
