KOPPAL: Police in Karnataka’s Koppal arrested two men on Saturday in connection with the gang-rape of a 27-year-old Israeli tourist and a 29-year-old homestay operator near Sanapur Lake, close to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hampi, reported The Times of India.

A 31-year-old tourist from Odisha, who was travelling with the victim, drowned in the Tungabhadra Left Bank Canal while attempting to escape the assailants.

A third accused is still on the run, and special teams have been formed to track him down, police said.

The arrested men have been identified as 22-year-old Mallesh alias Handi Malla and 21-year-old Chetan Sai Sillekyatar, both residents of Sainagar in Gangavathi taluk, Koppal district — approximately 350 km from Bengaluru.

Addressing a press conference, Koppal Superintendent of Police (SP) Ram L Arasiddi said the assault took place around 10:30 pm on Thursday when the two women, along with three male tourists, were stargazing near the canal.

"Three men on a motorcycle approached the group, asking for petrol money. The tourists initially gave them Rs 20, but the accused demanded Rs 100 and turned aggressive when refused," Arasiddi was quoted as saying by TOI.

The situation soon escalated, with the suspects allegedly attacking the group using stones and their bare hands.

"They pushed the three male tourists into the canal before sexually assaulting the two women," he added.

According to the SP, "Two of the accused gang-raped the homestay operator, while the Israeli tourist was raped by one of them. The survivors had not known each other before and had met at the homestay."

The male tourists—Daniel from the US and Pankaj from Maharashtra—managed to swim back to safety by helping each other.

However, the third, Bibash from Odisha, went missing. "His body was recovered from the canal on Saturday morning," the SP confirmed.

The deceased, identified as Bibash from Puri, had attempted to intervene during the sexual assault.

While his companions managed to escape, he drowned. His body was recovered by Karnataka police on Saturday.

According to the FIR filed at Gangavathi Rural Police Station on Friday night, the assailants also stole the homestay owner's bag containing two mobile phones and Rs 9,500 before fleeing on their motorcycle, the TOI reported.

The victims, including four guests and the homestay owner, had been staying at the property after arriving on different dates.

Police have launched an investigation to apprehend the remaining suspect.

“His body was recovered from the canal on Saturday morning,” Arasiddi confirmed.

Preliminary investigations revealed that Bibash, a native of Puri in Odisha, had attempted to intervene when the women were being assaulted

Police have intensified efforts to nab the third accused, who remains absconding.

Special teams have been deployed, and investigations are underway to trace his whereabouts, the report said.