Man charged with murder after female tourist found dead in Goa
A man has been charged after a young female tourist was found dead near a beach in Goa.
The body of Danielle McLaughlin, who had dual British and Irish citizenship, was discovered in an isolated spot close to tourist resorts in Canacona on Tuesday.
Ms McLaughlin, 28, had injuries on her face and head.
A post-mortem examination confirmed she had been raped before being strangled.
A 24-year-old man, whose name has been reported as Vikat Bhagat, has been arrested and charged with rape and murder.
Bhagat, who has been described as a ‘local criminal’ in Indian media, was already facing several unrelated charges for robbery and assault.
The Foreign Office said they are liaising closely with Indian police.
"We are supporting the family of a British-Irish woman following her death in Goa, India. Our thoughts are with them at this very difficult time," a spokesman said.
Last year, an Indian court cleared two men of raping and killing British teenager Scarlett Keeling.
The 15-year-old was found dead on Goa’s popular Anjuna beach in 2008, having drowned after allegedly being plied with drugs
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
France prepares for a massive strike across all transports on September 18
Turkish tourism stalls due to soaring prices for accommodation and food
CCS Insight: eSIMs ready to take the travel world by storm
Germany new European Entry/Exit System limited to a single airport on October 12, 2025
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt