$1 million reward offered in brutal 2015 murder of Prabha Arun Kumar in Parramatta
Nearly a decade after Prabha Arun Kumar was brutally attacked in Parramatta, NSW Police have offered a $1m reward in a renewed push for answers and confirmed her husband remains a person of interest.
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Nearly a decade after the “cold-blooded” murder of Prabha Arun Kumar in Parramatta, police have announced a $1 million reward for information leading to an arrest.
The boss of the NSW Police homicide squad announced the move on Monday, revealing in the process that the 41-year-old’s husband remained a person of interest.
Ms Kumar, 41, had just completed a double shift at an IT company and was taking a shortcut through Parramatta Park on her way home to Westmead when she was attacked on March 7, 2015.
While on the phone to her husband, Arun Kumar, who was 9300km away in India, she uttered the words, “He stabbed me, darling,” before the call ended.
Moments later, she collapsed in a pool of blood on Jubilee Lane.
Paramedics rushed to the scene but were unable to save Mrs Kumar, who died from her injuries.
On Monday, homicide squad commander Danny Doherty told reporters Mr Kumar – who had a girlfriend at the time of the murder – had been invited to a coronial inquest into the case in March 2025 but had not yet responded.
Investigators have interviewed Mr Kumar, who has previously denied suggestions the killing may have been arranged from India, several times in that country and Australia.
He is one of several persons of interest in the killing of Mrs Kumar, who was the “breadwinner” of her family and sent her earnings home to support them in India.
In the nine-and-a-half years since the killing, investigators working under Strike Force Marcoala have pursued several leads and made several appeals for information.
But the identity of the attacker remains a mystery.
Now, as the 10-year anniversary draws closer, Det Supt Doherty said he was confident the $1m reward, which is available internationally, would finally provide the breakthrough needed to solve the case.
“We believe even though it’s been 10 years people would know something or have heard something, it’s really important they come forward,’’ he said.
“We’d rather get the information to be able to put someone before the court rather than go before the coronial inquest.’’
Police Minister Yasmin Catley said she hoped the reward would encourage anyone with information to come forward.
“Police will not stop looking for answers until Prabha’s killer is brought to justice,” she said.
“Prabha’s family deserve closure – someone out there knows something and there is now one million more reasons to get in contact with police.”
Det Supt Doherty said officers would continue to keep searching for Prabha’s murderer and bring justice to her family.
“Prabha was a wife and mother who spent her time caring for her family and contributing to her community, and in 2015 she was murdered in cold blood,’’ he said.
“Detectives have spent the last decade searching for Prabha’s killer and we are hoping this reward will shake loose the memories of those who saw Prabha before her death who might be able to help police.’’
He said while police would “never be 100 per cent certain” of the motive for the murder, they had excluded a robbery or sexual attack as possibilities.
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