Mum of tragic Danielle McLoughlin tells of anger as man accused of murder makes bail bid to attend wedding

The mum of tragic Donegal backpacker Danielle McLaughlin has expressed her fear and upset that the man accused of her daughter’s murder is to apply for bail – to attend his sister’s wedding.

Danielle, 28, from Buncrana, was found dead in a secluded spot in Canacona, an area of Goa popular with holidaymakers, on March 14, 2017.

The night before she was found dead, Danielle had attended a Holi party near Canacona beach in the south of Goa. She had been brutally raped and murdered.

Local man, Vikat Bhagat, has been charged with the rape and murder of Danielle. He has been in custody since 2017 and his trial has been ongoing for over six and a half years making it one of the longest murder trials in the world. He has pleaded not guilty to charges of rape, murder, violent robbery and destruction of evidence.

Now we can reveal that Bhagat is to make an application to the High Court in Goa for temporary bail – to attend his sister’s forthcoming wedding after the Sessions Court rejected his application earlier this month. Speaking to the Irish Mirror, Danielle’s heartbroken mum Andrea said: “I am so upset by it that he even thinks he has the privilege to ask for bail to attend his sister’s wedding.

“Danielle won’t get to go to her sisters’ weddings or even get married herself. And it’s always a fear he might get bail,” she said. “I don’t know the system over there and as I have always been refused video link access I have never seen the trial nor his previous bail application so I am so anxious about him getting released.

Danielle McLaughlin who was murdered in Goa

“I really hope he doesn’t get bail especially as the trial has a deadline of July so he hasn’t long now before a verdict and I fear if he does get bail he might abscond and never face justice,” Andrea said.

In November 2022, Bhagat was granted temporary bail on humanitarian grounds to attend and perform the last rites of his father who passed away. Because he is the only son and as per Hindu rituals, the son has to light the funeral pyre for the cremation of his father.

He attended the cremation under a police escort but because he won a legal challenge last year against wearing handcuffs he was not handcuffed. At that time, a shocked and angry Andrea said she could not believe temporary bail was granted to Danielle’s murder accused saying it was a “complete nightmare,” fearing them he might abscond.

At that time a local Bombay man took to social media and wrote: “We live in a strange society where ‘humanitarian grounds’ are cited to give bail to a murder accused. “What about Danielle McLaughlin’s rights? Dead, murdered, so no rights? Danielle too has a family.

“She too would have eventually gone back to her family after holidays in India.”

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