Team Herald
MARGAO: The sensational eight-year trial in the Danielle McLaughlin rape-murder came to a close on Monday, with the Additional District and Sessions Court, Margao, sentencing 34-year-old Vikat Bhagat to rigorous life imprisonment.
Irish-British national McLaughlin, originally from County Donegal, Ireland, was 28 years old when she was brutally murdered in
Canacona, Goa, on March 14, 2017. McLaughlin, who had traveled to Goa as part of a backpacking trip, was discovered
dead in a secluded field in Deubaug, Canacona, the day after the crime.
Along with the murder conviction, the court also sentenced Bhagat to a separate term of rigorous life imprisonment for raping McLaughlin.
Bhagat was found guilty of charges under Sections 302 (murder), 376 (rape), 201 (destruction of evidence), and 394 (robbery) of the Indian Penal Code.
Bhagat, a resident of Bhagatwada, Char Rasta, Canacona, was arrested shortly after McLaughlin’s body was discovered. He was seen with her at a shack in Colomb on the night of her death, along with three other locals.
During questioning, Bhagat admitted to raping McLaughlin after luring her to a remote spot in the late hours of March 13, 2017. He claimed to have killed her with a broken beer bottle to prevent her from identifying him.
McLaughlin’s body was found in a nude state with multiple injury marks on her head and face, indicating a struggle. A post-mortem examination revealed severe cerebral damage and neck constriction, as well as significant injuries inflicted by a glass bottle. The autopsy also confirmed that McLaughlin had been sexually assaulted before her death.
Further investigation revealed that Bhagat’s scooter and the victim's clothing were found in close proximity to his home, further implicating him in the crime. Additionally, McLaughlin’s British passport was also seized by the police. Forensic evidence, including DNA samples, strengthened the prosecution's case.
The investigation was initially hampered by the challenge of keeping witnesses consistent with their statements. According to DySP Rajendra Prabhudessai, the prosecution faced significant hurdles, including threats to witnesses and the global disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which delayed court proceedings.
Despite these challenges, the trial saw the testimony of 46 witnesses, and the prosecution’s efforts were vital in securing Bhagat’s conviction. Public prosecutors V G Costa, Govind Gaunker and Sanjay Samant represented the State during the trial, while Bhagat’s defence denied the charges, maintaining his innocence throughout the process.
McLaughlin had arrived in Goa in February 2017 and was staying in North Goa’s Arambol before traveling to Canacona. CCTV footage captured her with Bhagat at a shack in Palolem, where they were seen together until around 9.30 pm on the night of March 13. The following day, McLaughlin’s body was discovered in a remote area of Canacona.
McLaughlin’s remains were repatriated to Ireland after the initial post-mortem in Goa, with a second post-mortem confirming the cause of death as brain damage and strangulation.