The longest "horror show" of Ireland, running in Goa : The Danielle McLaughlin Trial.
6 Years and 202 Hearings of the trial. Every 3 Weeks, friends and family made to revisit the pain and anguish of the tragic loss
Danielle McLaughlin's brutal rape and murder trial started exactly 6 Years back on 4th of July 2017. It's been exactly 202 hearings of the trials conducted already. Yet, no end in sight.
Ms McLaughlin grew up in Buncrana, County Donegal, in the Republic of Ireland.She also held a British passport and studied earlier at Liverpool John Moores University.
She arrived in Goa in February 2017,and was brutally raped and murdered on Holi eve, on 14th March 2017.
While, the accused Vikat Bhagat confessed to the murder of Danielle, just soon after; and the trial was supposed to be fast-tracked, it's been 6 years now.
If Losing a family member, in such a horrible and unexpected way was not enough of a tragedy to deal with; for the family and friends of Danielle McLaughlin; the tragedy has been unfolding every 21 days or so, since last 6 Years.On a new hearing date,the tragedy unfurls repeatedly as the hope is crushed.
Every new hearing date brings back to the fore, the pain and anguish of the sudden tragic death of Danielle in the minds of family and friends. It's like revisiting the horrors and the monster, again and again, every 3 weeks; with no respite seen coming.
Over a period of time, time heals every pain; but how the healing of Danielle's family members can happen, when the pain comes back, every 3 weeks or so.
Judge has been changed, Public Prosecutor has changed; but unless the state government of Goa, decides that enough is enough; the horrors would continue to unfurl.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, who now boasts of one of the longest serving Chief Minister of Goa, came into being as a Chief Minister on 19th March 2019. Just about 18 months since Danielle's trial began.
Time and again, presentation to him is being made, to fast-track the trial by the senior diplomats of both Ireland and United Kingdom.
Ironically, he has a teenage daughter too.It is expected from a father of a teenage daughter, to see that tears of another mother stop flowing every 3 weeks. The mother of a daughter, who loved Goa so very much; and probably the love of Goa took her life.
The next hearing of Danielle's trial is scheduled on 7th July 2023,Friday coming.
Sometimes the accused is not produced from the jail, Sometimes the defense lawyer is not present, Warrants served but witness do not present, Inspector General of Police does not reply to Courts order on time.The agonies of this 6 year old are just too many to mention.
Danielle's rape and murder trial is not just about her friends and family members only, it's about Danielle first. A tourist who came to Go, because she loved the state and everything that the state had to offer; but the brutality of few people here, costed her life; and is now costing her "Justice".
Danielle is not here to answer the question personally, but if she would have been asked, do you still love Goa?; The answer would still have been unequivocally "Yes".
The longest murder trial in Ireland is the trial of Catherine Nevin. Catherine Nevin was a prominent figure in the case known as the "Black Widow" trial, which involved the murder of her husband, Tom Nevin, in 1996. The trial began in October 2000 and lasted for 42 days. Catherine Nevin was ultimately convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment.Danielle's trial is about every tourist, domestic and foreign, who come to Goa for the love of it. The state Government and the Chief Minister, who is a father of a daughter too, has the duty that Danielle gets justice; and no other Danielle has to suffer again.