Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: In a significant judicial milestone, a court in Goa, India, has found Vikat Bhagat, a 31-year-old local resident, guilty of the rape and murder of a 28-year-old Irish tourist, Danielle McLaughlin, in a case that has drawn international attention since 2017. The verdict, delivered by Judge Kshama Joshi at the District and Sessions Court in western Goa, marks the culmination of nearly eight years of legal proceedings and advocacy by McLaughlin’s family.
The crime occurred in March 2017, when McLaughlin’s body was discovered by a farmer on a popular tourist beach in Palolem, South Goa. An autopsy revealed that she died from cerebral damage and constriction of the neck. Bhagat, who had claimed he was in a relationship with the victim and had no motive to commit the crime, was found guilty based on compelling evidence.
Key evidence included a discarded black bag containing torn clothes, a broken bra, and shattered spectacles, all of which were linked to the crime scene.
The bag, recovered at Bhagat’s instance, held items that matched those found at the scene, including glass pieces with blood stains. The judge noted that these items, along with witness testimonies and forensic evidence, proved beyond doubt that Bhagat was the last person seen with McLaughlin and was responsible for her death.
Judge Joshi’s 350-page order detailed the resistance shown by the victim, as indicated by the torn bra and broken spectacles. The court also rejected Bhagat’s claim of consensual sexual intercourse, citing medical and forensic evidence that showed the victim had been subjected to forcible sexual intercourse. The motive behind the murder was inferred to be the suppression of the victim’s identity and the concealment of the crime.
McLaughlin’s family, who have been vocal about their daughter’s case to raise awareness about violence against women in India, expressed relief and gratitude. In a statement, they thanked the public prosecutor and the investigating officer for their tireless efforts, saying, “Her truth has finally been heard.” Ireland’s foreign ministry, through Deputy Prime Minister Simon Harris, also paid tribute to McLaughlin’s family, acknowledging their determination and resilience in the face of tragedy.
Bhagat has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the offenses under Sections 302 (murder), 376 (rape), and 201 (causing disappearance of evidence) of the Indian Penal Code.
