The Christian community across India is in mourning following the tragic death of 26-year-old Bibash Nayak, son of the Moderator of the Church of North India (CNI), who lost his life whilst attempting to protect two women from sexual assault near the historic Hampi heritage site in Karnataka.
Bibash, described by the CNI Synod as “a God-fearing, humble, and dedicated young man”, drowned after being pushed into the Tungabhadra River canal on the night of 6 March. He and two companions had intervened when three assailants attempted to sexually assault their female companions - an Israeli tourist and a local homestay operator.
The Incident
The fatal incident occurred around 11:30 PM on Thursday, 6 March, when the group of five - including two foreign nationals - were stargazing near the Tungabhadra Canal close to Sanapur Lake, approximately 4 kilometres from Hampi.
According to police reports, three men on motorcycles approached the group initially asking for petrol. The interaction quickly escalated when the men demanded money from the tourists. After Bibash handed them 20 rupees, the assailants became violent and pushed Bibash and his two male companions - Daniel Pitas, a 23-year-old American, and Pankaj Patil, a 42-year-old from Maharashtra’s Nasik - into the canal.
Whilst Daniel and Pankaj managed to swim to safety, Bibash was tragically unable to escape the waters. His body was recovered by Karnataka police two days later on 8 March.
In the aftermath of pushing the men into the canal, two of the attackers allegedly raped the homestay owner and the 27-year-old Israeli tourist before fleeing with 9,500 rupees in cash and two mobile phones.
Police Response
Hampi police superintendent Ram Arasiddi told reporters that authorities have arrested three men in connection with the attack. Initially, two local residents - identified as Mallesh and Sai Chetan - were apprehended on 8 March. The third suspect, who had fled to Tamil Nadu following the crime, was captured on Sunday, 10 March.
The accused have been charged under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Section 309(6) for theft of extortion, Section 311 for robbery with intent to cause death or serious injury, Section 70(1) for gang-rape, and Section 109 for attempted murder. Murder charges related to Bibash’s death have also been added.
Police believe the men, described as construction workers “under the influence of illegal substances”, followed the tourist group before attacking them.
In response to the incident, the Karnataka government has directed police to enhance security measures for tourists in the region to prevent such occurrences in the future.
A Life Remembered
Bibash Nayak was a native of Derabadi village in Kandhamal district, Odisha. At the time of his death, he was working in the administrative department of St Stephen’s Hospital in New Delhi, whilst his parents had been residing in Agra for several years.
His father, Bishop Bijay Kumar Nayak, serves as the sixteenth Moderator of the Church of North India and is also the Bishop of the Diocese of Agra, CNI. Bibash was the younger of two siblings.
The CNI Synod expressed “profound sadness and deep grief” over his death in a condolence message on their Facebook page, stating: “We, as the Church of North India family, express our deepest condolences and heartfelt sympathy to the Most Revd. B. K. Nayak, his wife, and the entire family. May the peace of Christ that surpasses all understanding comfort them in this season of sorrow and loss.”
The message further described Bibash as someone known for his “unwavering faith in Christ and his commitment to the Church” who “touched the lives of many with his gentle spirit, kindness, and compassionate heart.”
Community in Mourning
The Christian community in Odisha has been particularly affected by the loss. Bipra Charan Nayak, a Christian leader in Kandhamal district (not related to the family), called it “sad news for the minority Christians of Odisha” and said the death of their leader’s only son had evoked strong emotions among Odisha Christians.
Mamata Pradhan, a resident of Terabadi, expressed the community’s grief, saying they are “pained and wounded with the news of death of our son. May his soul rest in peace.”
Bibash’s body was returned to his village on Sunday afternoon, 10 March. His funeral procession began around 4 PM, with hundreds of mourners gathering to bid farewell as he was laid to rest at the Mission Campus in G Udayagiri following Christian rituals.
The atmosphere in the locality was described as sombre, with a pall of gloom hanging over the region as friends, relatives, family members, and church fathers gathered to pay their final respects to the young man who lost his life whilst attempting to protect others.
Hampi, the site of the tragedy, is home to numerous ruins and temples from the Vijayanagara Empire and was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1986.
