'Nothing suggests Indian woman's murder was racially-linked'

The brutal murder of an Indian woman IT professional in a Sydney suburb does not appear to be racially motivated and may be a ‘random attack’, the police indicated on Monday.

There was nothing to suggest that the murder of Prabha Arun Kumar, 41, on Saturday was racially motivated, the police said.

India's Consul General in Sydney Sanjay Sudhir said, "There is no evidence which I have seen which indicates any racial undertone to this attack."

"Could this be a random attack? Well, yes it could. It could be a whole range of scenarios... and we are considering all of them," New South Wales Homicide Squad Commander Detective Superintendent Michael Willing said.

A special detective squad -- Strike Force Marcoala -- which comprises of police from Parramatta Local Area Command and State Crime Command's Homicide Squad has been formed to investigate Prabha's death.

The police 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.

NSW Premier Mike Baird during a telephonic conversation with Sudhir assured him that the perpetrators of the fatal knife attack on Prabha will be brought to justice.

Baird condemned the assault and said, "I was shocked and horrified to hear about the attack on Prabha Arun Kumar and my thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends at this devastating time."

"This was a brutal and cowardly attack on a member of the public that is now being investigated by a dedicated team of police officers and detectives. I have every confidence that Strike Force Marcoala will use every resource available to help bring the perpetrators of this horrific crime to justice," he said.

Prabha's distraught husband Arun Kumar and their 9-year-old daughter have reached Australia from Bengaluru.

Image: Prabha Arun Kumar