Dating app tragedy: Teenage girl charged with murder of Indian student in Australia

Melbourne, July 30: A teenage girl was charged with murder in Australia for killing an Indian student she had met through a dating app.

Jamie Lee Dolheguy, 18, was arrested last week over an attack on Maulin Rathod at her home in Sunbury on Monday, which left him with fatal injuries.

The 25-year-old student died in a hospital the following day. Dolheguy sat impassively with her head slightly down as she appeared before the Melbourne Magistrates Court via a video link from custody.

The teenager was charged with attempted murder, intentionally causing serious injury and recklessly causing serious injury after her arrest, and also faced a charge of murder.

Dolheguy and Rathod reportedly met through a dating app and decided to meet each other. She was remanded to custody to appear before the court again on November 19.

The Indian mission here confirmed that the Indian is in constant touch with his family in India and local friends as well as relevant Australian authorities.

"Considering the unusual circumstances surrounding the tragic death, the Australian authorities would need to complete extra-legal formalities before the mortal remains are released, and hence the transportation of the mortal remains of Maulin back to India may take slightly longer time," the Indian Consulate here said.

It said that all efforts were being made by the Consulate, in coordination with the Australian authorities, to expedite the completion of the required formalities, so that the mortal remains of Rathod were repatriated at the earliest. Rathod had arrived in Australia four years ago on a student visa to study accountancy.

PTI