The NSW Government has announced a 1 million reward to help solve the ‘targeted‘ Prabha Arun Kumar murder in Parramatta, Sydney.
The 41-year-old techie who worked for MindTree, was walking home from the station after work on 7 march 2015, through a dimly lit section of Parramatta Park. She was 400 metres from home as an assailant stabbed her in the neck.
She was talking on the phone to her husband Arun Kumar in India at the time.
“He stabbed me, kanna,“ she said to him, in what became her last words.
Arun became a person of interest in the case. It was believed he was having an affair at the time, even as his wife worked in Australia to support him and their daughter Meghna, who was nine then.
There was outrage in the community at the time, that a woman walking home from work should be attacked and killed in this manner.
This soon turned to an outpouring of grief.
The Shree Shirdi Sai Mandir Society of which Prabha was a regular attendee, held special prayers for her.
Later the community came out in massive numbers to trace the last steps Prabha took, and light candles in her memory. Arun and Meghna joined from India, as did members of Prabha’s family.
Pawan Luthra of Indian Link had put it to the then Premier of NSW Mike Baird, that the pathway between Argyle and Amos Streets in Parramatta be bestowed with the name ‘Prabha Arun Kumar Walkway’ as a tribute.
“I think that’s a wonderful idea,” Mr Baird had replied. “We want to talk to the family to make sure they’re okay with it, but that would certainly have my full support. I think that would be a wonderful tribute.”
On 22 November that year, Parramatta Park Trust renamed the footpath along Jubilee Avenue “Prabha Arun Kumar Walk” in honour of the Indian national.
The Hills Holroyd Parramatta Community Migrant Resource Centre also unveiled a memorial to Prabha on the occasion.
Lighting upgrades and other security initiatives have since been implemented in the area by Parramatta Council and local police, including four video security cameras at two locations along Jubilee Avenue.
Anyone with information on the Prabha Arun Kumar murder should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
READ ALSO: Who killed Prabha Arun Kumar?
