Friends of tragic Danielle McLaughlin are hopeful her body can be brought home to Ireland as early as this weekend.
A number of people have flown to India in a bid to escort the 28 year old’s body back to her heartbroken mum Andrea and four sisters in Buncrana.
Two close friends, who have been living in Australia, have been granted travel visas and are on their way to India.
Close friend Christy Duffy said he was hopeful that Danielle’s remains could be on her way home to her family soon.
“Two of her friends are in Australia and they have just had visas granted to travel to India.
“Hopefully the post mortem will be done soon and all going well she could be on her way home at the weekend,” he said.
A Go-Fund-Me campaign set up by Christy to bring home Danielle to Inishowen and to pay for her funeral has surpassed all expectations.
Christy started the fund page with the intention of raising up to €10,000.
As of yesterday, the fund stood at more than €32,000 which were made up donations from more than 1,200 people while donations continue to flood in.
Christy said “She had been in Liverpool and had been travelling for a few years but we had always kept in touch.
“You hear the old saying, when someone comes in and lights up a room? That was her.
“People are very lucky to have one or two close friends in this life and she was without a doubt in that bracket, she’ll be sorely missed.”
A candlelit vigil was held in India last night (Wed) to remember Danielle, who was tragically murdered on Tuesday.
Around one hundred locals and tourists gathered to honour the young woman in the location where her body was found in Canacona, in the southern part of Goa.
Mourners scattered flowers, photographs and gifts on the ground, along with a sign which read ‘Justice for Danielle’.
The evening ceremony ended with an emotional rendition of Bob Marley’s ‘No Woman No Cry’.
“I wish I was able to have met you in real life and not at your vigil,” one attendee said.
A murder investigation has been launched into the death of the 28-year-old tourist.
A post-mortem has been carried out in Panjim, the capital of Goa, and the results and the results have shown that Danielle was strangled and also raped.
Indian man Vikat Bhagat, 24, has confessed to the crime as the police investigation continues.
However, although he admits to murdering the Donegal woman, he denies a charge of rape.
Bhagat is expected to be held in police custody for seven days before the case progresses and charges may be brought against him.
Vikat Bhagat, the man accused of Danielle’s murder, is expected to be formally charged in the coming days.
However, it is unlikely his trial will take place for at least a year.
People have been bombarding his Facebook page with threatening messages.
Many have accused him of bringing shame on his people and the local area while others have accused him of destroying the local tourism industry in Goa.
The family of Ms McLaughlin confirmed to local Senator Padraig Mac Lochlainn that she knew Vikat Bhagat and that she had trusted him.
It is understood Ms McLaughlin had met Bhagat on a previous trip to Goa.
Senator Mac Lochlainn said “From what I understand she knew him from before. She had been in touch with him.
“Her family said to me that she knew him so she trusted him and did not feel under any threat from him.
“Danielle was an experienced traveller and she would not have put herself in danger.”
CCTV footage has been released which appears to show Bhagat walking behind Danielle in a market place hours before she was brutally attacked and murdered.
