‘Deserves justice’ Friends travel to Goa to honour Danielle McLaughlin

After travelling to India to bring home the body of her friend Danielle McLaughlin, Donegal-native Nicole Farren delivered a speech at a memorial service in Goa in which she paid tribute to the 28-year-old and lamented the devastating way she spent her final hours.

Speaking to those gathered, Nicole said: "We can not even begin to comprehend what has happened to our amazing beautiful friend Danielle."

"It is horrific and such a tragic way to have departed this world. No one deserves the pain and suffering she endured."

"How anyone is capable of committing a brutal act such as this to another human being is beyond our understanding," she said of the discovery of her friend's body in a remote area of Canacona in Goa last Tuesday morning.

"We want justice for Danielle. She deserves justice. We know that we all want the same. Whatever community we come from. Whatever our backgrounds. We all want the same thing. Justice. So let's get it together."

Nicole went on to highlight an issue which is never far from the headlines, saying: ""If anything, we hope that this will not only make India but also the rest of the world stand up and face the facts, that there is still so much injustice for women, that in some places we are second class citizens."

"Things need to change, Women need equal rights all over the world. They should be safe always and never be scared, have to live and die in fear.

23-year-old Vikat Bhagat was arrested over the murder, with police claiming he has confessed to the attack.