Prabha Arun Kumar, a
41-year-old IT professional, was taking a shortcut through Parramatta Park in
the city’s west at around 9.30pm on Saturday when she was killed.
Police refused to
reveal details of the phone call, but reports said she told her husband: “He
stabbed me, darling”, before the conversation abruptly ended.
“He’s understandably
extremely distressed,” homicide squad commander Michael Willing said of Kumar’s
husband who jetted into Australia Monday and was helping police with their
investigation.
“Here we have an
Indian national who has been in the country for some time, going about her
business and ends up being killed in a very vicious way.”
Police appealed for
help from the public, releasing footage of Kumar walking from Parramatta
Railway Station.
“It’s a horrific
crime. It’s a very, very disturbing crime,” Willing added.
“We think that she
sustained a number of injuries to the neck area with what we believe is a
sharp-edged weapon.”
Police said there was
nothing to suggest the murder of Kumar, who reportedly planned to move back to
India to be with her husband and nine-year-old daughter, was racially
motivated.
“Could this be a
random attack? Well, yes it could. It could be a whole range of scenarios… and
we are considering all of them,” Willing said.
– ‘Very close’ family
–
The dead woman’s
flatmate said Kumar had probably not wanted to bother anyone to ask for a lift
home after finishing work late and arriving at Parramatta train station at 9pm.
“Because she was
working late regularly, she felt bad to ask for help,” her flatmate, who asked
to be identified as Sarada, told The Daily Telegraph.
“Maybe that is the
reason she didn’t call.”
Instead she decided to
walk, and was attacked near a quiet, tree-lined path where bouquets of flowers
were Monday left in her honour.
“Dear Prabha, may your
soul rest in peace. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family at
this moment,” read a note on one bunch.
Kumar was found by a
passer-by shortly afterwards and rushed to hospital but had lost too much blood
and doctors were unable to save her. She was just 300 metres from home.
“I don’t know how I am
going to face her husband,” Sarada said. “She is very close to her husband and
her daughter.
“She talks to them
every day, as soon as she finishes work she calls her husband and keeps
talking. She has a good family.”
No arrests have been
made so far. AFP
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