Koppal: Two women, an Israeli tourist and a homestay owner, were allegedly gang-raped while stargazing on the banks of Sanapur Lake near Hampi, police said on Saturday.

Three male tourists who were with the women were also assaulted and pushed into a canal, and one of them was found dead. No arrests have been made yet, but efforts are underway to apprehend the three identified suspects, the police said.

The incident occurred when the 29-year-old homestay operator, the 27-year-old Israeli tourist, and three male tourists were sitting by the canal, enjoying music and stargazing, according to the police. 

At around 11 pm, three men on a motorcycle approached them, asking where they could get petrol. When the homestay operator informed them that there were no petrol pumps nearby, the accused demanded Rs 100.

"Since the homestay operator did not know them, she told them they had no money. When the men repeatedly insisted, one of the male tourists from Odisha gave them Rs 20. After that, the three men allegedly started arguing and threatened to bash their heads with stones," the homestay operator stated in a complaint to the police. 

When the group refused to give them more money, the accused, who spoke Kannada and Telugu, started abusing them. They then allegedly raped the homestay operator and the Israeli tourist and pushed the three male tourists into the canal, according to the FIR.

The accused dragged the homestay operator to the side of the canal, where one of them strangled her and removed her clothes. Two of them beat and raped her. They also snatched her bag, stealing two mobile phones and Rs 9,500 in cash, according to the FIR. Similarly, one of them dragged the Israeli tourist and raped her.

The accused fled on a motorcycle after the assault, the complainant alleged. Among the male tourists, one was from the United States, and the others were from Odisha and Maharashtra. The tourist from Odisha was found dead, while others sustained injuries. 

Based on the complaint, a case was registered at Gangavathi Rural Police Station under sections related to extortion, robbery or dacoity with intent to cause death or grievous hurt, gangrape, and attempted murder under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, police said.

The two women are undergoing treatment at a hospital, police added. "We have registered the case and identified the suspects. Six teams have been formed, and efforts are underway to nab them," police said.

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