Prabha Arun Kumar stabbing: Indian woman 'stabbed to death as she talked on the phone'

The Indian IT worker was speaking to her husband on the phone when she was attacked

Prabha Arun Kumar walking down the public walkway moments before her death (CCTV)

Police in Australia have released surveillance footage that shows the moments just before an Indian IT worker was allegedly stabbed to death in Sydney as she spoke to her husband on the phone.

The CCTV shows IT worker Prabha Arun Kumar, 41, talking on the phone to her husband, who was in her home town of Bangalore in India, on Saturday evening in the Westmead area of Sydney.

Police say the footage was taken at 9:30pm, a matter of minutes before Ms Kumar was killed.

Police have yet to make any arrests and have released the video as part of an appeal to the public for information.

Michael Willing, a detective superintendent in the New South Wales police force said: “We are hoping this will jog the memory of anyone who was in the vicinity of Argyle Street, Park Parade or Amos Street that evening, and encourage them to come forward and speak with police.”

He said it may have been a random attack.

“We have no reason to believe she was known to her attacker; we're considering all options at this point in time, including the fact it may have been a random attack.”

He dismissed any speculation the attack was racially motivated.

“We have nothing to suggest that this is a racially motivated attack, I want to reassure you of that.”

Australian authorities and the Indian consulate are currently working together to investigate the incident.

Sushma Swaraj, India’s Minister for external affairs, tweeted: “I am pained to know abt murder of Prabha Arun Kumar in Sydney.Our Consulate is in touch with her Company there and we promise all help.”

Mike Baird, the premier of New South Wales, called the attack “brutal and cowardly.”

Ms Kumar had been working for global IT company Mindtree Ltd for over a decade and moved to Australia for work two years ago, according to Syed Akbaruddin, a spokesman for India’s foreign ministry.

He confirmed that Ms Kumar’s husband had travelled to Australia on Sunday night, and plans were being made to bring Kumar’s body back to Bengaluru.

Michael Willing said Ms Kumar’s husband was distraught by what had happened.

He said: “She was (on the phone) at the time, we are speaking to her husband as I speak to you at the moment.

”As you can imagine, a terrible call to receive, and our thoughts remain with her husband and her wider family.“