Goa rape-murder case: CCTV footage reveals a man following Irish woman

28-year-old Irish woman, Danielle McLaughlin, who was allegedly raped and murdered in Goa earlier this week, was seen walking along a road in CCTV footage with an unknown man behind her.

The girl can be seen carrying a hand bag in the video and once she looks back over her shoulder while walking along the road..

The British woman tourist was found dead on 14 March at Palolem beach in south Goa and reportedly her face was 'disfigured' with a beer bottle.

The police has arrested a local man identified as Vikat Bhagat (24) for his alleged role in the crime.

The last Facebook post of McLaughlin, who lived in liverpool, had a heartbreaking message as she wrote, 'Thank you to all my friends and family for making home so special and always looking after me. I am very grateful and the luckiest person I know... Off on another adventure.'

The disrobed body of the woman, who had a British passport, was found at an isolated spot near a beach in south Goa's Devbag village, located about 80 km from here, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Canacona, Sammy Tavares had said.

He said the woman had arrived in Goa on February 23 this year and since then she was holidaying in south Goa.

"Hours before her corpse was found, she was seen playing Holi with locals in Canacona," the officer said.

"The woman's face was smashed with a blunt object. It is a case of murder," he added.

The body has been sent to the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) to ascertain the exact cause of the death.

Vikas Bhagat, a history-sheeter from Canacona village, located near Devbag, was arrested in this connection, the official informed.

"Bhagat was arrested by police within 24 hours of the woman's body being found at an isolated spot in Devbag village, located between the beaches of Canacona and Agonda," Tavares said.

"Bhagat was earlier arrested several times in connection with cases of theft and other petty offences," he said.

Police produced Bhagat before a local court, which remanded him to seven-day judicial custody.

"We are yet to ascertain the motive behind the murder," they said.

The incident has brought back memories of British teenager Scarlett Eden Keeling's death in the coastal state.

The 15-year-old's bruised, semi-nude corpse was found on Goa's famous Anjuna beach in February 2008.

Two men were arrested in connection with the case, but they were acquitted by Goa Children's Court last year.

The CBI, which investigated the case, had moved the Bombay High Court in February this year challenging the verdict.

--With PTI inputs