Report: Deekshith D V
Pics: Kishore Peraje
Daijiworld Media Network - Bantwal
Updated
Bantwal, Mar 15: Hundreds of friends, family members and well-wishers on Sunday March 15 bid a tearwell farewell to Prabha Arun Kumar, who was stabbed to death in Sydney, Australia a week ago.
The body of 41-year-old Prabha was brought to her hometown Amtoor near Kalladka here by ambulance from Mangaluru airport, where it reached on Sunday noon.
The mortal remains were kept for public viewing at Nandagokula, the residence of Prabha's parents Mahabala Shetty and Sarojini.
Health minister U T Khadar, district incharge minister Ramanath Rai, MLC Ivan D'Souza, MLA Mohiuddin Bava, MLA Shakunthala Shetty, MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, former minister Nagaraj Shetty, former MLA Rukmayya Poojary Padmanabh Kottary were some of the prominent persons who offered condolences to the family and paid last respects to Prabha.
Speaking to daijiworld, Khadar condoled Prabha's demise and said, "Through the state government, I will demand from the union government to urge the Australian authorities to conduct a complete and thorough probe into the case, and give justice to the family.
"I pray that god gives the family enough strength to bear with this irreparable loss," he added.
MP Nalin Kumar Kateel told daijiworld, "I have already written to external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj regarding security for NRIs. There are many NRIs living in foreign countries and we should ensure that such an incident does not repeat in future.
"I have also put in this question in the Parliament during zero hour, but unfortunately the question was not selected. The question was also on behalf of MPs Shobha Karandlaje and Pratap Simha," he added.
"We generally have a notion that women in foreign countries have good security, but in this case, even though it has been over a week since the incident, no progress has been made. Hence I have written to the centre urging it to put pressure on Australian authorities for a fast probe," Nalin Kumar said.
Officials from MindTree, the company she was working for in Bengaluru and then in Australia, were also present.
Speaking to daijiworld, MindTree HR general manager Anish Philip said there was delay in bringing the mortal remains to Bengaluru from Sydney as there were formalities to fulfill and obtain certain certificates. There is discussion going on between our company and the police and we have put in all our efforts to bring the body to India, and to ensure justice to the family. We will also look into providing compensation to the family."
About Prabha, he said, "She was working for 10 years for our company and was supposed to come to India in June after finishing her project in Australia."
He also said it did not seem like a racial attack and that
Head of MindTree Foundation Ibrahim Moses and administrative head Vijay Francis also expressed condolences.
Emily D'Cunha who was Prabha's teacher in school said, "I taught her in 6th and 7th standards at St Antony's School in Amtoor. She was a brilliant and disciplined student."
A source said that Prabha had plans of settling at her hometown someday and build a house near her parents's home.
Hundreds of people paid their last respects. At around 5.30 pm, the last rites were held at a spot about 100 metres from the house.
Earlier Report
Prabha's mortal remains brought to Mangaluru by special flight
Pics: Meryick D'Silva
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (DV)
Mangaluru, Mar 15: The mortal remains of Bantwal-origin IT consultant Prabha Arun Kumar who was stabbed to death in Sydney, Australia, arrived in Mangaluru on Sunday March 15 at around 11.40 am.
Prabha's husband Arun Kumar, daughter Meghana and other family members accompanied the body. The formalities took about 20 minutes and at around 12 noon, the body was handed over to the family.
The mortal remains were brought by a special flight from Bengaluru to Mangalore International Airport. From Sydney, the body was brought to Bengaluru by Singapore Airlines on Saturday March 14 night.
The body has been taken by ambulance to Amtoor near Kalladka in Bantwal for the final rites. The body will be kept for public viewing till 4 pm.
Prabha (41), was stabbed to death by an unidentified assailant while she was walking towards her home through Parramatta park at around 9.30 pm on March 7. She was talking on the phone with her husband when the attack took place.
Prabha was the daughter of progressive farmer Mahabala Shetty and Sarojini, residents of Amtoor. She ccompleted her education from Mangaluru and Sullia. She married Arun Kumar 12 years ago, and their daughter Meghana stays with her father in Bengaluru. She was sent to Australia three years ago by MindTree, the company she was working for in Bengaluru, and was scheduled to return in April this year.
Hundreds pay homage in Bengaluru
Bengaluru, March 15 (IANS): Hundreds of people, including family members, colleagues and central and state ministers, on Sunday paid homage to Prabha Arun Kumar who was murdered in Australia on March 7.
The body of the 41-year-old Prabha from global IT consulting firm Mindtree was flown to the city on Saturday night. It was kept at her relative's house for people to pay their respects.
"The last rites will be held at Prabha's village Amtur near Mangaluru on Sunday evening," a family member told IANS before the cortege was flown to Mangaluru by air ambulance. The village lies some 380 km away from here.
Union ministers from the state, Ananth Kumar and D.V. Sadananda Gowda, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Home Minister K.J. George and Infrastructure Minister Roshan Baig were among the dignitaries who paid tributes to Prabha.
Prabha's husband Arun Kumar and her elder brother Shankar Shetty accompanied the cortege from Sydney via Singapore.
A company's senior representative and Prabha's colleagues also visited the house and mourned her tragic death. Prabha also leaves behind a nine-year-old daughter, Meghana.
Even a week after Prabha was stabbed to death at Parramatta Park in Sydney's Westmead suburb when she was returning to her flat, investigation by Australian police have not traced the unknown assailant.
Footage from close circuit television cameras at the railway station showed Prabha walking towards the park while talking on mobile phone, purportedly with her husband who lives in Bengaluru with their only daughter.
Kumar later revealed to the Australian police that he heard Prabha telling him that she was stabbed despite pleading with the attacker not to harm her.
As the cell phone got disconnected immediately, Kumar could not hear further or know Prabha's condition subsequently.
On learning Prabha's death due to stabbing, Kumar flew to Sydney on March 8 to join the investigation and bring her body to the city.
Autopsy showed that Prabha's throat was slit with a sharp-edged object.
According to Prabha's flatmate in Sydney, she believed to have seen the attacker approach her and begged for mercy.
"Don't hurt me. I'll do whatever you want," Prabha was overheard saying on the mobile and telling Kumar immediately that "he stabbed me," twice in Kannada, their mother tongue.
Prabha was in Sydney since 2012 on a three-year onsite project work and was return to Bengaluru in April.