The mother of a Co Donegal woman raped and murdered in India said she is “nervous and anxious” about the final verdict in the trial of Vikat Bhagat, the man charged with the killing.
Danielle McLaughlin’s mother, Andrea Brannigan, is travelling to India from Buncrana in the next fortnight as Bhagat’s trial is scheduled to finish on October 14. It is expected the verdict will be delivered on the same day.
Ms McLaughlin’s remains were discovered in a secluded spot of Canacona in Goa, on March 24, 2017. The 28-year-old had attended Holi festivities the previous night.
Speaking to The Irish News, Ms Brannigan said she was glad the ordeal of the trial was coming to an end as “our family needs closure and to be able to move forward and start grieving for Danielle”.
Danielle’s sisters, Joleen and Louise, are also making the journey, along with family’s Ireland solicitor, Desmond Doherty.
“The judgment I’ll leave in the hands of the judge and there is no jury in Goa,” said Ms Brannigan.
“However, in Indian law, you can’t give a victim impact statement. I am so upset about that as I wanted him to know what has been taken from us,” she added.
“Danielle was a kind, vibrant young lady and she adored her little sisters. She was a brilliant sister and friend to them. She was also a brilliant friend to anyone who ever met her. Once you met her, you never forgot her.
“I really have to thank Danielle’s sisters, her girls as she called them, for helping me get up in the morning since her death, if that makes sense, especially Joleen. They have kept up this fight for justice for Danielle.
“I also can’t thank Danielle’s friends enough for being there for us and keeping Danielle’s memory alive, not to mention our local community and all of the politicians who helped us helped us over the past seven and a half years,” said Ms Brannigan.
Solicitor Desmond Doherty said it was “understandable Andrea wants to be personally present at the trial for the closing section and verdict”.
“Andrea has conducted herself with great grace and dignity in what has been an awful experience,” said Mr Doherty, who has worked closely with Vikram Varma, lawyer for Ms Brannigan in India. Under Indian law families have a right of representation at the trial.
A GoFundMe fundraiser has been set up by Ms McLaughlin’s friend Emma Louise McMenamin to enable the family to travel to india.
