The rape-homicide of a junior doctor at a hospital in Kolkata last year sparked national outrage and protests over a lack of safety for women. (Reuters: Adnan Abidi)
A female Israeli tourist and an Indian woman have been gang-raped by three men near a popular UNESCO World Heritage site in southern India, according to local police.
A companion of the women, an Indian man, drowned after being pushed into a river canal.
The trio were stargazing with two other male tourists in the town of Hampi, in Karnataka state, on Thursday when the group attacked them after an altercation over money, police superintendent Ram Arasiddi said.
The assailants pushed the male travellers into a river canal before raping the women, Mr Arasiddi said.
Indian doctors condemn verdict in murder case
Photo shows A woman wearing glasses looking distressed in a crowd.
Two of the men, including an American, swam to safety, but the third man's body was recovered on Saturday morning.
Police have arrested two of the accused men and were continuing investigations, Mr Arasiddi said.
The men have been detained on suspicion of attempted murder, gang rape and robbery.
Attacks on women in India gained international attention last year after the brutal rape-homicide of a junior doctor at a hospital in the eastern city of Kolkata, which sparked national outrage and protests over a lack of safety for women.
In India, police recorded 31,516 rape cases in 2022, a 20 per cent increase from 2021, according to the National Crime Records Bureau.Â
The real figure is believed to be far higher due to the stigma surrounding sexual violence, and the crimes going unreported because victims-survivors lack of faith in police investigations.Â
Reuters/AP