Bibhas Nayak, a 29-year-old HR manager from New Delhi, lost his life while protecting two women from an assault in Karnataka.

BERHAMPUR : Bibhas Nayak was known for his kindness, faith, and adventurous spirit. The 29-year-old, who worked as an HR manager at St Stephen’s Hospital in New Delhi, had travelled across India on his bicycle.
But his final act of bravery came at Sanapur village in Karnataka’s Koppal district, close to the tourist site of Hampi, where he lost his life trying to protect two women from sexual assault.
Bibhas was flung into a canal on the night of March 6 while defending the women from three attackers. His body was found Saturday and Karnataka police have since arrested the suspects. His family, still in shock, called for a fair investigation.
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“He had last visited Kandhamal around three months ago,” said his cousin Firoz Pradhan, who runs a business in Odisha. “A travel enthusiast, he had travelled to many states on his bicycle.”
Originally from Derabadi village in Odisha’s Kandhamal district, Bibhas was the son of BK Nayak, bishop of Agra diocese and moderator of Church of North India (CNI) Synod. He attended Stewart School in Bhubaneswar before moving to Chennai for higher studies. He earned a BBA from Madras Christian College and later completed an MBA in Mumbai.
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Unmarried and passionate about travel, Bibhas had befriended the survivors of the attack during his visit to Karnataka, according to family sources. On the night of the crime, he and four others — an Israeli woman, a man from the US, another from Maharashtra, and their female homestay operator — were stargazing near a canal.
When the three men attacked, Bibhas intervened. But the attackers overpowered him and threw him into the water. While his two male companions managed to escape, he drowned.
His death has left a deep void among family, friends, and colleagues.
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“Bibhas was not just a leader’s son; he was a true embodiment of Christian values,” said a church member who knew him well. His colleagues remembered him as a humble and god-fearing man who carried a gentle spirit and a compassionate heart.
“We are all in shock. While we’re unaware of the progress of the investigation by Karnataka police, we hope justice will be served,” cousin Pradhan said.
His funeral was held Sunday in Kandhamal’s G Udayagiri town, where family and community members gathered to mourn. “We can only pray that such crimes never happen again,” his brother-in-law Akash Paul said.
(The victim’s identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme court directives on cases related to sexual assault)