British woman's rape and murder: Chargesheet filed against lone accused

The police today filed a chargesheet in a magisterial court at Canacona here against a 28-year-old man in connection with the rape and murder of a British woman tourist in south Goa in March.
The chargesheet was filed before the Judicial Magistrate First Class, Canacona against Vikat Bhagat who has a criminal background.
According to the police, Bhagat had befriended the victim, Danielle McLaughlin (28), a British national of Irish origin, while she was holidaying in Goa.
On the fateful day, believed to be either March 14 or 15, Bhagat allegedly tried to force himself on the woman at an isolated place between the Canacona and Agonda beaches.

As the woman resisted his attempt, Bhagat allegedly hit her on the head with a beer bottle and raped her before strangulating her, the police said.
The accused then smashed the victim's face with a stone in a bid to destroy evidence.

After groping in the darkness for a while, the police zeroed in on Bhagat after coming across a photo on Facebook showing him with the victim.
According to the police, the accused has confessed to the crime.
"We have examined 68 witnesses during the probe which clearly indicates that the woman was killed by Bhagat, who has a criminal background," Deputy Superintendent of Police, Canacona, Sammy Tavares told PTI.

He said the accused was charged under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for rape, murder, theft, and destruction of evidence.