KOPPAL: The police on Monday produced the third accused in the horrific Koppal rape and murder case before the court. The third accused—Sharana Basava, 30, a tile fitter—was hiding in Chennai. The police have recovered a two-wheeler which the accused were riding on the night of the incident. He had hidden the vehicle near the canal, and after his arrest, he led the police to the bike.
On Thursday night, the accused had pushed three tourists into the Tungabhadra canal and had raped two women, a foreign national and a homestay owner. One of the three tourists, identified as 29-year-old Bibhas Nayak from Odisha, who was pushed into the canal, died.
Basava fled to Bengaluru by train from Hosapete and kept an eye on the developments of the case through the media. The police arrested two of the three accused- Mallesh and Chetan Sai—on Saturday, and through them, they traced the whereabouts of Basava. The police said that the accused have a history of criminal activities. They worked as daily wagers during the day and engaged in theft at night. “The trio was involved in petty theft, assault, and harassment of people. Previously they were arrested for stealing chickens and bikes and robbing grocery stores,” said the police.
The Koppal police probing the gangrape case have rolled out some rules to be followed. To begin with, CCTV cameras of the accommodation facilities are being inspected by the police, and the certificates from various government agencies are also being taken note of.
Koppal SP Ram Arasiddi said that ‘Form C’ has been made mandatory whenever foreign tourists visit any tourism property in Koppal. “Form C ensures that the local police stakeholders know of the foreign tourists. The details will ensure the safety of foreign tourists. Night patrolling has also been increased in tourism zones,” he said.
Security measures at tourist spots: Minister HK Patil
Karnataka government will provide security to tourists visiting the state, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil said on Monday. Calling the recent Koppal gangrape and murder unfortunate, Patil said, “When such incidents occur, there will be a debate on relooking the existing security parameters”. Patil said he will discuss the matter with Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara. Meanwhile, the Opposition BJP is expected to raise the issue in the Assembly on Tuesday and they have sought permission to speak on the law and order situation in the state.