India, Feb. 14 -- A local court on Friday held a 34-year-old petty criminal guilty of raping and murdering an Irish tourist at Palolem in Goa in March 2017. Sessions judge Kshama Joshi convicted Vikat Bhagat under Indian Penal Code's sections 376 (rape), 302 (murder) and for destruction of evidence. The quantum of sentence will be pronounced on Monday.

The mother and sisters of the Irish tourist broke down and hugged each other as the conviction was pronounced. They thanked Investigating officers for probing the case.

The 28-year-old Irish woman was last seen with Bhagat on March 13, 2017, on the eve of Holi at Palolem, a coastal village. She was found unclothed at an isolated location a day later. The Irish woman was with an Australian...