Young woman murdered in Goa, India

Witchie · 15-03-2017 11:55am #1

http://www.rte.ie/news/2017/0315/859859-goa-india-irishwoman-death/

I am sitting approximately 1 and half miles away from the scene of the crime and am a little in shock. This paradise has been my safe haven for a few weeks now and I don't think I have even felt as safe in my hometown as here.

Initially rumours here yesterday were that she was Russian and it was her boyfriend who did it but seems it was an Irish girl on a British passport or living in Liverpool and she was murdered by an Indian guy.

Monday was the end of Holi and this place was crazier than usual. Down here on Palolem beach there were crowds of Indians going wild, getting drunk, throwing powdered paint, gangs of them in the sea playing polo and just general mayhem....a bit like a sunny version of Paddy's day.

Then Monday night the big nightclub near here, Leopard Valley, were having a massive Holi party and from what I can gather the poor victim went there and was found dead in a field near it yesterday morning.

My family and friends are all panicking a bit but to be honest, I still feel so safe here. It is a really fun place with the nicest people.

If anyone knows the family of the young woman, could they pass on my condolences and if they want to get in touch with me here, I will help them in anyway I can. I have an apartment with a double bed and a single so if they need somewhere to stay or just a friendly face to chat to, I am here.

Winterlong · 15-03-2017 11:58am

God love her. Goa for me will always be associated with the Scarlett Keeling murder.
It should be a little bit of paradise on earth though.

whiskeyman · 15-03-2017 12:09pm

Witchie wrote: »

If anyone knows the family of the young woman, could they pass on my condolences and if they want to get in touch with me here, I will help them in anyway I can. I have an apartment with a double bed and a single so if they need somewhere to stay or just a friendly face to chat to, I am here.

Really kind gesture of you Witchie.
Super to have such lovely people like you on boards.

Witchie · 15-03-2017 1:11pm

All I can think of is the poor family having to make a torturous trek out here and how distraught they must be. I have had to make a trip to America not knowing if my brother was still alive or not and relied heavily on the kindness of others to sort things out over there so I have an inkling as to what they are going through and if there is any way at all that I can help, I want to pay forward the kindness I recieved.

smelly sock · 15-03-2017 1:12pm

Pic of the young lady up on Sky News now. Can't see a name anywhere.

May she RIP.

smelly sock · 15-03-2017 1:13pm

Sky have released the name as Danielle McLoughlin.

Erik Shin · 15-03-2017 1:20pm

Mind yourself Witchie and be safe

Witchie · 15-03-2017 1:21pm

From Buncrana originally.

It is just horrendous. Am really in shock here. Yesterday I was shocked but even more so now that more details emerge.

Witchie · 15-03-2017 1:22pm

Erik Shin wrote: »

Mind yourself Witchie and be safe

I honestly don't think I could feel any safer than here but I am minding myself. I am usually back at my apartment by 10pm and always take a tuktuk. I have a lovely Indian boyfriend who stays with me when he finishes work at 11 so I do feel very safe and looked after.

ArnoldJRimmer · 15-03-2017 3:19pm

Absolutely tragic news. I stayed in a hut at Palolem beach many years ago and had an amazing time, such a beautiful part of the world. Hard to imagine something so horrific happening to someone who was likely out there on the adventure of a lifetime.

Lovely gesture Witchie

failinis · 15-03-2017 4:04pm

Just got a phone call, used to know the girl, friend of friends, not spoken since she left for Liverpool.
Shocking news. Will let the family know Witchie that you have a room if anyone needs it.

Witchie · 15-03-2017 4:09pm

Thank you. There is also a hotel beside me that will be a haven for them if they need it. If they need anything at all let me know through pm and will pass on my Indian phone number so they can get in touch.

Just in the bar of the hotel here and the staff are all shook up too. They really hate stuff like this happening here as it is such a threat to their livelihoods as well as being a sad death.

Seems the guy was from Canacona village, just a few miles from the beach.

gifted · 15-03-2017 7:45pm

Stay safe witchie

DanielODonnell · 15-03-2017 8:17pm

A terrible business, I don't know what passports have got to do with anything though, UTV news said it too.

15-03-2017 9:08pm

Fair play to you Witchie, a lovely gesture to make. Mind yourself x

Mint Sauce · 15-03-2017 10:44pm

Scumbags everywhere.

DanielODonnell wrote: »

A terrible business, I don't know what passports have got to do with anything though, UTV news said it too.

I heard this earlier on BBC Radio, they simply made the point she was a Dual Citizen, of both British and Irish.

pg339 · 15-03-2017 11:11pm

RIP.

nacho libre · 15-03-2017 11:37pm

RIP
Lets hope her family's suffering is not compounded by the authorities there. A start would be that the accused is actually the one who carried out the crime.

Witchie · 16-03-2017 6:01am

It matters on a diplomatic level. Because she entered the country on a British Passport, the British Embassy have the lead on dealing with the matter and the Irish Embassy are working with them. I think it is to the family's advantage as they will have 2 embassys working on their behalf and hopefully that will make things easier for them.

My fella is distraught. He just keeps saying "this is very bad....this is terrible." They haven't had a problem like this here in south Goa before in fact any crime is quite rare in this area so it has shocked him and his workmates to the core. They are obviously also worrying about the possible impact on their jobs if tourism drops off.

A consulate from the Irish embassy in Delhi is due here soon.

NIMAN · 16-03-2017 6:36am

Shocking news, live in Inishowen myself, I hope the family can cope with this terrible news.

Mellor · 16-03-2017 6:57am

Witchie wrote: »

It matters on a diplomatic level. Because she entered the country on a British Passport, the British Embassy have the lead on dealing with the matter and the Irish Embassy are working with them. I think it is to the family's advantage as they will have 2 embassys working on their behalf and hopefully that will make things easier for them.

The entry passport doesn't matter. She's a citizen of both regardless. UK would still take the lead if she entered on a Irish passport.
I have two passports and travel with both for that reason tbh.

My fella is distraught. He just keeps saying "this is very bad....this is terrible." They haven't had a problem like this here in south Goa before in fact any crime is quite rare in this area so it has shocked him and his workmates to the core. They are obviously also worrying about the possible impact on their jobs if tourism drops off.

A consulate from the Irish embassy in Delhi is due here soon.

It might feel like paradise at times.
But you can't overlook that India is usually first or second on the list in terms of total murders. And I know its a big place, and Goa might have lower crime rates in general, but it would also have higher rates of crime against foreigners.

Witchie · 16-03-2017 10:25am

Just found out that it was much closer to me than I realised. She had been down at the beach huts beside where I stay and then was found about a mile away from me. Freaking me out a little.

16-03-2017 10:30am

Witchie wrote: »

......................

My fella is distraught. He just keeps saying "this is very bad....this is terrible." They haven't had a problem like this here in south Goa before in fact any crime is quite rare in this area so it has shocked him and his workmates to the core. They are obviously also worrying about the possible impact on their jobs if tourism drops off. .....................

I hope he gets over it soon.

Mellor wrote: »

...................

It might feel like paradise at times.
But you can't overlook that India is usually first or second on the list in terms of total murders. And I know its a big place, and Goa might have lower crime rates in general, but it would also have higher rates of crime against foreigners.

Indeed, and lone women are very vulnerable in much of India.

Shurimgreat · 16-03-2017 10:35am

I don't see why a western woman should feel "safe" in Goa. Even the slightest research would reveal some doubts about the place.

http://www.independent.ie/world-news/asia-pacific/dangers-for-women-travelling-to-goa-are-well-known-35536017.html

I am all for people travelling to various places around the world, but a lot of people rush off alone, without precautions and without researching where they are going.

Many of these "paradises" involve rich westerners mixing with poor locals. Of course there's going to be problems because of that.

fatknacker · 16-03-2017 10:49am

Shurimgreat wrote: »

I don't see why a western woman should feel "safe" in Goa. Even the slightest research would reveal some doubts about the place.

http://www.independent.ie/world-news/asia-pacific/dangers-for-women-travelling-to-goa-are-well-known-35536017.html

I am all for people travelling to various places around the world, but a lot of people rush off alone, without precautions and without researching where they are going.

Many of these "paradises" involve rich westerners mixing with poor locals. Of course there's going to be problems because of that.

That's just scaremongering nonesense. It's quite rare and makes headlines because female travelers don't usually end up raped and murdered.

It's more likely to happen at home.

Thepoet85 · 16-03-2017 10:52am

Knew the girl fairly well and our whole town is in shock.

Hard to believe it's happened really

16-03-2017 11:02am

fatknacker wrote: »

.........

It's more likely to happen at home.

Is it fnck

Shurimgreat · 16-03-2017 11:02am

fatknacker wrote: »

That's just scaremongering nonesense. It's quite rare and makes headlines because female travelers don't usually end up raped and murdered.

It's more likely to happen at home.

I'd imagine the chances of it happening are about equal everywhere. As we all know a number of women disappeared in Ireland roughly 20 years ago.

That said, western women should take precautions when travelling to the third world, particularly women travelling alone. The idea that the third world is perfectly safe for lone western women is nonsense, that's the point I am trying to make. Take precautions, such as knowing where you are going, knowing where the no-go areas are, always staying in a well lit place, etc etc and everything should be fine. This is the sort of common sense that many westerners lack unfortunately.

Witchie · 16-03-2017 11:04am

Augeo wrote: »

I hope he gets over it soon.

He is obviously upset about the murder too, it is just a worry that this will impact on them as they need these jobs to stay alive and to help keep his family in Calcutta alive. You forget that this country is poverty stricken so if tourism is lost here it will cause greater reprecussions than it would elsewhere. So less of the smartarseness. You are not here seeing the impact it is having on everyone.

Shurimgreat wrote: »

I don't see why a western woman should feel "safe" in Goa. Even the slightest research would reveal some doubts about the place.

http://www.independent.ie/world-news/asia-pacific/dangers-for-women-travelling-to-goa-are-well-known-35536017.html

I am all for people travelling to various places around the world, but a lot of people rush off alone, without precautions and without researching where they are going.

Many of these "paradises" involve rich westerners mixing with poor locals. Of course there's going to be problems because of that.

Well that article is a bit piece of crap to start....they keep referring to Goa as a city. Idiot.

I did research and it is scary alright but it is still a beautiful place and is relatively safe when you consider the number of people who visit here and come to no harm each year. I have met people who are coming here for years and they never have an issue.

16-03-2017 11:08am

Witchie wrote: »

He is obviously upset about the murder too, it is just a worry that this will impact on them as they need these jobs to stay alive and to help keep his family in Calcutta alive. You forget that this country is poverty stricken so if tourism is lost here it will cause greater reprecussions than it would elsewhere. So less of the smartarseness. You are not here seeing the impact it is having on everyone. .................

No, I don't forget that.

Witchie wrote: »

..............

I did research and it is scary alright but it is still a beautiful place and is relatively safe when you consider the number of people who visit here and come to no harm each year. I have met people who are coming here for years and they never have an issue.

At least you seem somewhat informed as to the dangers there.

fatknacker · 16-03-2017 11:09am

No ones saying not to take precautions, of course you do that anywhere. But the idea that women shouldnt travel alone because they are likely to have terrible things happen is pure scaremongering.
Like I said, it makes headlines because it's generally rare. That's not to take away from people being sensible about what they do with themselves. But sometimes **** things happen and they can happen in your local just as easily.

Young woman murdered in Goa, India

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