Melbourne, Mar 9: Australian police today released the CCTV footage of the Dakshina Kannada-origin IT consultant walking from a train station just before she was fatally stabbed and appealed to people for information to crack the baffling case.
The New South Wales police launched a probe following the stabbing of 41-year-old Prabha Arun Kumar, who was on the phone with her husband in Bengaluru, when the "horrific" attack happened on Saturday in Westmead, a suburb of Sydney.
Ambulance Paramedics treated the woman at the scene before transporting her to Westmead Hospital, where she died at about 12:45 am yesterday.
Confirming her identity, the police statement said, it was believed that Prabha got off a train at Parramatta Railway Station about 9pm, before walking along Argyle Street and turning left onto the walkway. Police believe she was attacked while on the walkway.
She sustained a number of injuries, which it is believed were inflicted by a sharp-edged weapon.
Strike Force Marcoala has been formed to investigate the death. It comprises police from Parramatta Local Area Command and State Crime Command's Homicide Squad.
"We are hoping this will jog the memory of anyone who was in the vicinity of Argyle Street, Park Parade or Amos Street that evening, and encourage them to come forward and speak with police," Homicide Squad Commander, Detective Superintendent Michael Willing, said.
Prabha worked for IT firm Mindtree in 'The Rocks' and had reportedly been working a double shift the day of her death.
Prabha's distraught husband Arun Kumar and her 9-year-old daughter had reached Australia from Bangalore to formally identify her body, media reports said.
Prabha's husband was on the phone with her when she was brutally stabbed in the park, 'the Daily Telegraph' reported.
"She was talking with her husband Arun Kumar in India when she said 'he stabbed me, darling' before the line went dead," the report said.
Detective Superintendent Willing said her husband was now telling detectives about the conversation Prabha was having with him before she was killed.
"We have some detail in terms of their conversation," he said adding that, "He's understandably extremely distressed."
Meanwhile, an Australian politician Geoff Lee today expressed his shock over the stabbing incident describing it as "a terrible crime".
Lee, a parliamentarian from Paramatta, described the fatal attack as an isolated incident and said attacks in the park were not common.
"This terrible crime it's a really isolated incident and it's a real shock to everybody," he said.
"And I checked with the park management and I think this is the first of such incidents to ever occur in Parramatta Park," Lee said, adding that, "I should let people know it didn't actually happen in the main part of the park."
Indian Australian Association of NSW president Yadu Singh said that Australian community was sad and shocked with the brutal murder of the Indian IT professional.
"It is a tragic and heart-breaking news. Our heart goes out to her family, especially her husband and daughter. We know that NSW Police is investigating this crime to find the culprits, responsible for this heinous crime. We want them to keep our community in the information loop, as there is massive concern and grief in the community," he said.
Hailing from Nandagokula in Amtoor near Kalladka in Bantwal taluk, Prabha Shetty was the daughter of Mahabala Shetty. She has three brothers and two sisters. After graduation, Prabha joined Softlinks, an IT firm which Mindtree acquired later. Prabha had come to Bengaluru six months ago and returned after two months.
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