Indian Court Sentences Man to Life for Rape and Murder of Irish Backpacker

Vikat Bhagat was convicted for the 2017 killing of Danielle McLaughlin after an eight-year legal battle.

Danielle McLaughlin, a 28-year-old backpacker from Donegal, Ireland, was raped and murdered in Goa, India, in March 2017.
The perpetrator, Vikat Bhagat, was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder and rape, along with a concurrent three-year sentence for destroying evidence.
McLaughlin's family, who actively participated in the lengthy trial, expressed relief and gratitude for the verdict, which they said brings some closure.
The case highlighted ongoing issues of violence against women in India, despite stricter laws introduced after the 2012 Delhi bus gang-rape case.
McLaughlin’s family chose to speak publicly about her case to raise awareness, breaking with the norm of anonymity for rape victims in India.