'They were shattered, terrorized': New details on gang rape of Israeli tourist

 

Indian media released additional details Sunday about the gang rape of an Israeli tourist and the deadly assault near the village of Sanapur in Karnataka state. Among the victims were the Israeli woman who was raped, a local guesthouse owner, an American tourist, and a local traveler. A third man who was with the group drowned after the attackers threw him and his companions into a canal.

According to the police complaint, the assailants threatened to crush the heads of the three men with stones before throwing them into the water and raping the two women. In the canal, American tourist Daniel Pittas managed to grab the hand of Pankaj Amrit Rao Patil, and despite the strong current, he swam with him to the shore.

The third man, identified as a traveler named Bibash, was swept downstream. The survivors only saw his broken watch floating on the water. They returned to the spot where they had been attacked and found the two women. "They were devastated, crying, with terror on their faces," one of the survivors recalled. The group then made their way back to the guesthouse and later filed a complaint with the police.

Attack began with a request for fuel

The guesthouse owner, who also reported the attack to police, described the events leading up to the assault. "After dinner, we decided to go stargazing. We rode our scooters to the banks of the Tungabhadra Canal, near Sanapur Lake. As we were watching the stars and playing the guitar, around 10:30 p.m., three men on a motorcycle approached us and asked for fuel," she said.

She told them that there was no gas station nearby and suggested they find fuel in Sanapur. According to her testimony, one of the men suddenly demanded 100 rupees. "They didn’t know us, so I told them I had no money. But they kept demanding, until one of the male tourists gave them 20 rupees."

When the travelers refused to give them more money, the suspects began arguing and threatening them with stones. Two of them then attacked and raped the women, while the third pushed the men into the canal and assaulted the guesthouse owner with stones. "I was bleeding heavily. Two of the suspects dragged me to the side of the canal. One of them choked me and removed my clothes. One after the other, they beat me and raped me," she said.

The attackers stole her bag and fled with two mobile phones and 9,500 rupees. One of the men dragged the Israeli tourist away and raped her as well. "When we screamed and cried, they fled on their motorcycle," she recounted.

Survivors recovering in hospital

Ruth Korczak, an Israeli traveler in southern India, visited the hospital where the four survivors were treated. Speaking to ynet, she said she knows one of the surviving men. "I got a call from him and went to visit him at the hospital. The two men who survived are doing okay—I saw them myself. I can’t share their personal experiences because they specifically asked me not to, but as has been reported, they were hit with stones, pushed into the canal, and that was it. They still haven’t fully processed what happened."

Regarding the Israeli woman’s condition, Korczak said: "I can’t say anything about her. She’s okay. She’s in contact with the consulate, and they’re taking care of her."

Asked if arrangements were being made to return her to Israel, she replied: "I can’t say."

Korczak added that despite the attack, she and other travelers still feel safe in the area. "We had a tough day, but the sense of security returned quickly. We’ve heard a lot about what happened, including a lot of nonsense on social media about women traveling in India. The reactions have gotten out of control. That’s why it’s important for us to say that we feel safe here. Bad things can happen anywhere."

Another traveler, Hannah Bella, addressed suggestions that women in India should always be accompanied by men. "They were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. We have amazing Indian friends here," she said. Korczak agreed, adding: "This is a very safe place. The only takeaway is not to wander around late at night, just like I wouldn’t do in certain places back home. This was an area with no cell reception."