Prabha's body released to family, police yet to find killer

Melbourne, Mar 12: The body of an Indian IT professional, who was stabbed to death in Sydney, has been handed over to her family even as Australian police today said they were yet to find a motive for the "senseless attack".

41-year-old Prabha Arun Kumar's body was released to her family yesterday and would be taken to her hometown in Mangalore for last rites, Prabha's housemate said.

"He (her husband) was still in shock, he just said if he could get her stuff. He mentioned she always wanted to be buried where she was born in Mangalore," The Daily Telegraph quoted her saying. Police said they were still searching for the killer and trying to establish a motive behind the attack.

"I can say at this point in time, we are no closer to identifying a motive for this senseless attack," Homicide Squad Commander Detective Superintendent Michael Willing said. Police said that it does not appear that Prabha was sexually assaulted or robbed or racially attacked.

They have interviewed several people since the attack on Saturday. Willing said from CCTV footage police had reviewed, they don't think they can identify anyone who was following Prabha. Police have also released the CCTV footage of Prabha walking from the Parramatta train station just before she was fatally stabbed and appealed to people for information to crack the baffling case.

Meanwhile, Prabha's husband Arun Kumar and her brother Shankar Shetty today sought justice for her. Kumar, who had flown in from India following the brutal murder, said "I know that we can't bring her back but I want, whoever killed my wife, to be brought to justice."

Shetty made a personal appeal to his sister's killer to surrender. In Melbourne today, members of Indian community organised a memorial service at the Federation Square to pay their respect to Prabha. Intaj Khan, a councillor from Whyndam who attended the service, said the incident reflected that people needed to be more alert and cautious about their safety while walking across a dark areas and parklands.

In Adelaide, a service has been scheduled for tomorrow to pay homage to her. Condemning the attack, Chair of Confederation of Indian Australian Associations (CIAA) Vassan Srinivasan said "Indian community mourns the loss of Prabha, especially for husband and their daughter".

PTI