Family members of an Irish woman who was raped and murdered at a popular tourist resort in 2017 in Goa react after the court’s verdict on the case, in Goa, India, Friday, Feb. 14, 2025.
| Photo Credit: AP
Nearly eight years after Irish-British national Danielle McLaughlin was raped and brutally murdered in Goa, a court on Friday (February 14, 2025) convicted the lone accused in the case, a 31-year-old local resident.
While the prosecution demanded the maximum sentence for the accused Vikat Bhagat, the judge said she would pronounce the quantum of sentence on February 17.
In a statement, family members of McLaughin — who was 28 years old at the time of her death in 2017 — said they were thankful to everyone who took efforts to ensure justice for her.
Judge Kshama Joshi of the District and Sessions Court at Margao in South Goa found Bhagat guilty of both the offences, said Vikram Varma, the lawyer representing the victim’s mother Andrea Brannigan. Her mother is in Goa to witness the verdict.
The court will pronounce the quantum of sentence on Monday (February 17, 2025), he said, adding that the public prosecutor demanded the “maximum sentence” for Bhagat. The maximum sentence in such cases is capital punishment.
McLaughlin was found dead in a forested area of Canacona village in South Goa district on March 14, 2017.
“Our thoughts are with the family today. We continue to provide support as required,” said the British High Commission in a statement.
After the verdict, the victim’s family members also issued a media statement which was read out by their representative. “We as Danielle’s family and friends are so thankful to everyone involved in our fight for justice, they have treated her like their daughter and have tirelessly fought for her,” it said.
They were thankful that their hardwork paid off and Bhagat was found guilty of “taking Danielle from them”, the family said.
“We have lost nearly eight years of our lives fighting for Danielle and we are so thankful that we now can start grieving her immeasurable loss,” the statement said, noting that McLaughlin made the most of her 28 years of life, and lived every day to the fullest.
“She was so kind and always so happy, she didn’t deserve what he put her through. We are so grateful to have been able to be here for the verdict and to see the Goa that Danielle loved so much,” the family said.
As per the charge sheet filed by Goa Police, McLaughlin, who hailed from Donegal in Northwest Ireland, was on a visit to Goa as a tourist in March 2017 when Bhagat befriended her. He murdered her after spending an evening with her, the charge sheet said.
Danielle was struck with a stone which resulted in her death, it said. Her body was found lying in a pool of blood without clothes, with injuries to the head and face.
Published – February 14, 2025 11:32 pm IST
