A man has been found guilty of the rape and murder of an Irish woman who was backpacking in India.
Danielle McLaughlin, 28, was found dead in a field in Canacona, Goa, in March 2017.
Ms McLaughlin, from County Donegal, had been staying at a beach hut with a female friend.
The pair had been celebrating Holi, a Hindu spring festival.
Local man Vikat Bhagat was found guilty of Ms McLaughlin’s murder on Friday at the District and Sessions Court, south Goa.
Justice had “finally been achieved”, Ms McLaughlin’s mother Andrea Brannigan and sister Jolene McLaughlin Brannigan said in a statement.
“There was no other suspect or gang involved in Danielle’s death and (Vikat) Bhagat was solely responsible for cruelly ending her beautiful life,” they said.
“We have endured what has been effectively an eight-year murder trial with many delays and problems, right until the end, all taking place thousands of miles away from Danielle’s home in Buncrana, County Donegal.”
The pair thanked their lawyers, both in India and back home.
“Without this joint legal representation we had, we would have been lost in the process. This was an eight-year murder trial that has been very tiring. We are glad it is over.”
Ms Brannigan and Ms McLaughlin Brannigan said the quest for truth and justice was “no easy matter, as we have discovered”.
“In memory of Danielle, we stayed patient and respectful of the Indian legal system with the aid also of the British and Irish consular staff,” they added.
“We are glad to have visited the area where Danielle spent her last days on this earth, painful and difficult as that was.
“We now hope not only that Danielle can rest in peace, but that we as a family can have some peace and comfort knowing that the person who brutally raped and murdered our precious Danielle has been convicted.”
Irish deputy premier Simon Harris paid tribute to Ms McLaughlin’s family, especially her mother for her “determination and resilience in the face of unimaginable tragedy”.
“While nothing can ease the pain of their loss, I hope that this verdict represents some closure for the family,” Mr Harris said.
“My thoughts will remain with them as they continue to grieve the loss of their beloved daughter and sister. May Danielle rest in peace.”
