Melbourne (PTI): A 41-year-old Bengaluru-origin IT consultant was brutally stabbed to death in Australia, just 300m from her home, police said today as they launched a probe into the horrific attack.
Prabha Arun Kumar was on the phone to a member of her family when the “horrific” attack happened yesterday in Westmead, a suburb in Sydney.
Kumar told the relative, “I think I’ve been stabbed” in the lane way that runs through the park close to her Westmead home.
The mother of one was found stabbed in Parramatta Park last night. The police described it as a “horrific attack”.
She was found by a man lying in a large pool of blood.
A friend of Kumar, who was walking home from work when she was brutally stabbed, said she always felt guilty about getting a lift home late at night.
The woman, who asked not to be named, told The Daily Telegraph she has warned
Prabha about the dangers of the park.
“I told her that it is not a safe way to come through because there are people that stop and ask you for money, like 2 dollars,” she said.
Superintendent Wayne Cox from Parramatta police said earlier that the woman left the station, walked along Argyle Street and onto Park Parade before being attacked in Parramatta Park.
“At this point she has taken a lane way connected up to Amos St in Westmead, and during this journey she has been attacked by a person or unknown persons,” he said.
She suffered a life threatening injury. She was transported to Westmead Hospital where she was pronounced dead.
“There was a large amount of blood so she obviously suffered a significant wound,” Cox said.
A crime scene has been established and is being examined by specialist forensic officers.
State Crime Command’s Homicide Squad is assisting Parramatta detectives in the case. Police have appealed to the public to come forward with any information related to the case.
Thrijesh Jayachandra, the nephew of the victim said, “At 3 pm IST my uncle was talking on the phone to my aunt and then this is her usual time when she finishes her job and walks to her house. They are always in conversation. But today she told her husband that there was big person around her in the park where she was walking.”
“Then all he could hear was ‘just let me go’ and ‘don’t hurt me. Take my bag, Take whatever you want.’ and then she said she has been stabbed and her phone switched off after this”
G Mohan, her brother-in-law said, “I talked to my friends there and they said that Parramatta (park) has had a racial history but not lately. I am not sure whether this is racial attack or mugging. There were no witnesses around at this time. We understand she was in a pool of blood when the police found her. She lost critical time there.