Latest news with #VikatBhagat
BreakingNews.ie
15-05-2025
- BreakingNews.ie
Family of Irish backpacker killed in India welcome decision to hold inquest
The family of an Irish backpacker who was murdered in India have welcomed a decision to hold an inquest into her death. Danielle McLaughlin, from Buncrana in Co Donegal, was found dead in a secluded spot in Canacona, an area of Goa popular with holidaymakers, in March 2017. Advertisement Local man Vikat Bhagat, 31, was found guilty at the District and Sessions Court in India earlier this year. Ms McLaughlin, 28, had been celebrating Holi, a Hindu spring festival, at a nearby village. Her body was found the next day by a farmer in a field in a remote location. A postmortem examination showed the former Liverpool John Moores University student suffered cerebral damage and constriction of the neck, causing her death. Advertisement Weeks after the verdict in India, Ms McLaughlin's family solicitor Des Doherty applied to Attorney General Rossa Fanning to direct an inquest into her murder and rape, under Section 24(1) of the Coroners Act 1962. That has been granted. In a statement, Ms McLaughlin's mother Andrea welcomed the move. 'I am grateful to the Attorney General, who engaged with my solicitor as soon as an application was made that an inquest should be convened on the grounds that it would be advisable, and in the interests of justice,' she said. Advertisement 'I also extend my thanks to the coroner for Donegal, for meeting with me and providing the confirmation that an inquest would now be opened. 'I understand and appreciate that the circumstances of Danielle's case, and the fact that she was killed when abroad make her case exceptional. 'It is very heartening that the relevant authorities, here in Ireland, showed their compassion and care in agreeing to and supporting the requirement for an inquest to be held in Donegal, Danielle's home, after the horrific events that ended her beautiful life thousands of miles away. 'My solicitor has begun the process of providing all the legal documentation and contacts that he holds in Danielle's case to the coroner so that this may assist the coroner as he conducts his investigations, which will hopefully lead to a hearing in the months ahead.' Advertisement
The Independent
15-05-2025
- The Independent
Family of Irish backpacker killed in India welcome decision to hold inquest
The family of an Irish backpacker who was murdered in India have welcomed a decision to hold an inquest into her death in Ireland. Danielle McLaughlin, from Buncrana in Co Donegal, was found dead in a secluded spot in Canacona, an area of Goa popular with holidaymakers, in March 2017. Local man Vikat Bhagat, 31, was found guilty at the District and Sessions Court in India earlier this year. Ms McLaughlin, 28, had been celebrating Holi, a Hindu spring festival, at a nearby village. Her body was found the next day by a farmer in a field in a remote location. A post-mortem examination showed the former Liverpool John Moores University student suffered cerebral damage and constriction of the neck, causing her death. Weeks after the verdict in India, Ms McLaughlin's family solicitor Des Doherty applied to Attorney General Rossa Fanning to direct an inquest into her murder and rape, under Section 24(1) of the Coroners Act 1962. That has been granted. In a statement, Ms McLaughlin's mother Andrea welcomed the move. 'I am grateful to the Attorney General, who engaged with my solicitor as soon as an application was made that an inquest should be convened on the grounds that it would be advisable, and in the interests of justice,' she said. 'I also extend my thanks to the coroner for Donegal, for meeting with me and providing the confirmation that an inquest would now be opened. 'I understand and appreciate that the circumstances of Danielle's case, and the fact that she was killed when abroad make her case exceptional. 'It is very heartening that the relevant authorities, here in Ireland, showed their compassion and care in agreeing to and supporting the requirement for an inquest to be held in Donegal, Danielle's home, after the horrific events that ended her beautiful life thousands of miles away. 'My solicitor has begun the process of providing all the legal documentation and contacts that he holds in Danielle's case to the coroner so that this mayassist the coroner as he conducts his investigations, which will hopefully lead to a hearing in the months ahead.'
BBC News
15-05-2025
- BBC News
Danielle McLaughlin: Mother of Irish backpacker murdered in India welcomes inquest
The mother of an Irish backpacker who was raped and murdered in India has said she hopes an inquest into her death will "finally lead to getting a death certificate".Danielle McLaughlin, from County Donegal, was found dead in a field in the state of Goa in March 2017.A post-mortem examination at the time found brain damage and strangulation as the cause of a trial lasting eight years, Vikat Bhagat was found guilty of raping and murdering the 28 year old and received a life sentence at the District and Sessions Court in South Goa, India, in February and is now appealing the sentence. Ms McLaughlin's mother, Andrea Brannigan, told BBC News NI "all I ever wanted was an inquest locally so hopefully this will finally lead to getting a death certificate".Ms Brannigan also said, in a statement issued on behalf of her solicitor, that she was "grateful to the attorney general" that the inquest into her daughter's death will mother said she was told the inquest, which she has been calling on for years, will happen in Donegal "on the grounds that it would be advisable, and in the interests of justice".Ms Brannigan said her solicitor had begun the process of providing the legal documentation to the coroner to assist in his investigation."I understand and appreciate that the circumstances of Danielle's case, and the fact that she was killed when abroad makes her case exceptional," she added."It is very heartening that the relevant authorities here in Ireland showed their compassion and care in agreeing to and supporting the requirement for an inquest to be held in Donegal, Danielle's home, after the horrific events that ended her beautiful life thousands of miles away." 'Compassion and care' BBC News NI has contacted the Office of the Attorney General in Dublin for solicitor Des Doherty told BBC News NI an inquest was requested so a death certificate could be issued to the family."The family welcomes this judicial investigation in the form of an inquest in Donegal even though Danielle's death happened abroad as this is allowed in certain circumstances under Irish law," Mr Doherty added. What happened to Danielle McLaughlin? Rape victims cannot usually be named under Indian law. Their identities are often hidden in a bid to protect them from being shunned in this case, Danielle McLaughlin's family have spoken to the media to raise awareness of her McLaughlin had turned 28 the month before her death and had been home in Buncrana for the had only been in India for two weeks when she was Liverpool John Moores University student had been staying in a beach hut with an Australian pair had been celebrating Holi, a Hindu festival, in a nearby village. She left the village at night and her body was found the next day by a local farmer in an isolated case was brought to court on more than 250 occasions with several lengthy delays.
Irish Times
15-05-2025
- Irish Times
Inquest into Danielle McLaughlin's death in India to take place in Donegal
An inquest is to be held into the death of Danielle McLaughlin , the 28-year-old Buncrana, Co Donegal , woman who was murdered in India in 2017. News of the decision to hold an inquest was confirmed in a statement from the McLaughlin family, released by Derry- based human rights solicitor Desmond Doherty. Ms McLaughlin was raped and killed in Goa, India, in March 2017. Following her death an eight-year trial led to the conviction of Vikat Bhagat, 31, who was sentenced to life imprisonment . Ms McLaughlin's mother Andrea Brannigan thanked the Donegal coroner Dr Denis McCauley for confirming an inquest would now be opened . READ MORE In the statement Ms Brannigan said: 'I understand and appreciate that the circumstances of Danielle's case, and the fact that she was killed when abroad, makes her case exceptional. 'It is very heartening that the relevant authorities, here in Ireland, showed their compassion and care in agreeing to and supporting the requirement for an inquest to be held in Donegal, Danielle's home, after the horrific events that ended her beautiful life thousands of miles away.' Ms Brannigan said her solicitor had already begun transferring documentation that he holds in her daughter's case to the coroner. She said this documentation may assist the coroner and she was hopeful of a hearing in the months ahead. [ Man jailed for life for rape and murder of Danielle McLaughlin in India Opens in new window ] Ms McLaughlin had previously spent time in India as a volunteer in an orphanage and was planning to learn to teach yoga while travelling. She had turned 28 the month before her death at home in Buncrana, before returning to India. She was there two weeks when she was murdered. The case endured lengthy delays before the guilty verdict was reached on February 14th of the rape and murder of Ms McLaughlin.
Yahoo
17-02-2025
- Yahoo
Indian court jails man for life in rape, killing of Irish woman
By Tanvi Mehta NEW DELHI (Reuters) - An Indian court jailed a 31-year-old man for life on Monday following the rape and murder of a young Irish woman in the tourist resort state of Goa, nearly eight years after the crime. The victim, whose name cannot be disclosed under Indian law, was 28 when she visited Goa in March 2017 and befriended Vikat Bhagat, the man convicted of the crime. "Today the court has given the final verdict, life imprisonment to the accused," investigating officer Filomeno Costa told the ANI news agency, in which Reuters has a minority stake. See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. Her lawyer, Vikas Varma, said the body was discovered in a forested area of Goa's Palolem beach, bearing multiple injuries, including some on her face. "Nothing can compensate the loss of a child, but the sentence has diluted the grief of the family," Varma said in a statement to Reuters. "It was a long battle of nearly eight years but justice has been done." Forensic reports confirmed the woman was raped and her face smashed in with a beer bottle to frustrate efforts to identify her, the lawyer said. Bhagat's lawyers asked the court to take a lenient view in handing down the sentence, media reported. Reuters could not immediately contact them. India tightened laws on rape and set up fast-track special courts after the brutal 2012 gang-rape of a young woman in a Delhi bus and her murder shocked the country. But more than a decade later, the picture is still grim. Reuters investigations last year showed India had slashed its targeted number of such courts to 790 by 2026, from 2,600 projected earlier. Last month, a court handed a life sentence to a police volunteer convicted of the rape and murder of a junior doctor at a hospital in the eastern city of Kolkata.
