Bhubaneswar, April 22 -- A harrowing incident unfolded in the picturesque hills of Kodagu district, Karnataka, where a woman tourist, a solo traveler from Washington state, USA, fell victim to brutal rape and assault at a local homestay.

She was staying alone at the homestay in the serene Kutta village, when she was allegedly 'raped' and brutally attacked by a staff member from Jharkhand who entered her room under false pretenses. The assault shattered her sense of safety, leaving her traumatized and desperate for help.

Worse still, when the homestay owner discovered the crime, instead of offering support, he turned into an accomplice by locking her inside her room for three agonising days. He confiscated her phone, disabled the Wi-Fi c...