Buncrana native Danielle McLaughlin’s murder to feature on RTÉ Prime Time

The heartbreaking story of Danielle McLaughlin will feature on RTÉ Prime Time tonight, Tuesday.

Danielle, then 28, went to India in 2017 to attend Holi, the Hindu festival of colours. Only two weeks after her arrival, her body was found in Canacona, located in Goa. Danielle's body was discovered in a field, having been the victim of a rape and murder.

On Prime Time, Danielle’s family will discuss their loss and fight for justice. 

A suspect in Danielle's case was arrested within hours of the crime. However, the trial is yet to conclude and has been heard over 250 times. However, the accused, Vikat Bhagat,  was recently granted interim bail for the second time to attend his sister's wedding on February, 24. Twenty-eight-year-old Danielle’s body was found on the morning of March 14, 2017.  

Another trial for her murder is scheduled to take place on Thursday, the seventh anniversary of the day Danielle’s body was discovered and a doctor's evidence is due to be given in court. 

A high court in India has directed for the trial to conclude this year but Danielle’s sister is keeping her expectations low. 

“It's just so draining that we just want it over and done with,” Joleen said. “We don't really know what's going to happen. They say it should end this year, but we don't really know, and we don't want to have that hope that it will end because we have been let down so many times in the past.” 

Since March 2017, the McLaughlin family has been trying to come to terms with the loss of their daughter and sister in such a violent way, so far away from home. The family was assisted by the Kevin Bell Trust in repatriating her body home to Ireland for burial. 

“I remember when they crossed the border out of India, the Kevin Bell Trust, they contacted me and said, Andrea, she's no longer in India, she’s coming home,” Danielle’s mother Andrea said. “I never was as happy to know my daughter’s coming home.”  Danielle was laid to rest in her hometown, Buncrana.

Danielle, who was laid to rest in Buncrana, had previously been in India as she volunteered in an orphanage in Calcutta and in 2017 returned as she wanted to study to be a yoga teacher. 

Prime Time will be aired on RTÉ One at 9:35pm tonight, Tuesday, and will be available to stream on the RTÉ player.