Illegal riverbank bash near Hampi on day of rape-murder verdict triggers police case

Koppal: On the very day a court in Gangavathi pronounced the death penalty against three men convicted in the Sanapur rape-murder case, an alleged illegal party involving foreign tourists was organised at a private riverside resort located close to the crime scene and in an eco-sensitive zone near the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hampi. .The event was reportedly held on Feb 16 on the banks of the Tungabhadra river, between Anegundi and Hampi. The resort in Gangavathi taluk hosted hundreds of foreign tourists who were seen dancing to loud music, while holding liquor bottles, video clips of which went viral on social media, triggering a police crackdown.
Acting suo motu on the viral footage, police registered a case against resort owner Piyush Parmar and manager Huligesh. The cops said the party was organised without permission. What particularly shocked the police and the district administration was that the party was organised on a riverbank, disregarding environmental and regulatory concerns. In the Hampi rape-murder case, the Additional District and Sessions Court in Gangavathi had handed out death penalty to three men convicted in the gang rape of an Israeli woman tourist, aged 27, along with an Indian homestay owner, 29, and the murder of Bibhas Nayak, 26, an Indian male tourist guide from Odisha. Two other male tourists -- Daniel Pitas, 23, from the US, and Pankaj Patil, 43, from Nashik in Maharashtra -- were physically assaulted.The shocking riverbank party venue fell within the notified limits of the Tungabhadra Otter Conservation Reserve, India's first such reserve, established in 2016. The 34-km protected stretch, along with Tungabhadra river, spans ecologically sensitive zones and includes the Hampi world heritage site. A senior forest official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the area is a protected zone. "Holding a party there with loud music and liquor is in violation of regulations," the official said. Koppal SP Dr Ram L Arasiddi confirmed that the resort had not obtained approval for the programme. "The resort owners organised the event in an open area without permission and violated norms. A case was registered and notices were issued. We are also investigating who all attended the event," he said. Munirabad police added that an inquiry is under way to assess the full extent of violations and determine whether additional provisions under forest and environmental laws could be pressed. Photo: 21-Hampi Masti