Goa: Man who raped and killed British-Irish national in 2017 sentenced to life in jail

Margao: A sessions court in Goa sentenced Vikat Bhagat to life imprisonment for the rape and murder of a British-Irish national who was found dead near a beach in Goa in 2017.

Reacting to the imprisonment, Investigating officer Inspector Filomeno Costa said, "The main part of the investigation was that we cordoned off the area and called the forensic team and we collected scientific evidence...we had many challenges. As the investigating officer, I was present in court at every hearing...today the court has given its verdict and the accused has been sentenced to life imprisonment."

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Advocate Vikram Varma, representing the victim's family, said that the police have done a very good job in this case.

He further said that tourism will suffer if the police in any country protect criminals.

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"...If the police in any country try to protect criminals, tourism will suffer. But here the police have done a very good job in showing that if a crime takes place, they will take action," Varma said.

Bhagat was found guilty of murder, rape, robbery and destruction of evidence. The victim, was discovered dead in an isolated field in Canacona, Goa in 2017. 

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• #rape case
• #British Irish National