Goa Man Convicted of Rape and Murder of Irish Backpacker Danielle McLaughlin

Eight years after the crime, Vikat Bhagat was found guilty in a Goa court, bringing closure to a prolonged legal battle.

Danielle McLaughlin, a 28-year-old Irish backpacker, was raped and murdered in Goa, India, in March 2017 after celebrating the Holi festival.
Vikat Bhagat, a 31-year-old local man with a history of petty crimes, was convicted of rape, murder, and destruction of evidence by a Margao district court.
The victim's body was discovered in a secluded field, and forensic evidence, witness testimony, and circumstantial evidence linked Bhagat to the crime.
The trial faced significant delays, including disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but concluded after eight years of legal proceedings.
The victim's family expressed relief at the verdict, while prosecutors sought the maximum sentence, citing the brutality of the crime and Bhagat's lack of remorse.