Indian-origin student sexually assaulted, murdered in Australia

Sydney: The body of a 24-year-old Indian-origin student, who was murdered after being sexually assaulted, was found stuffed in a suitcase in a park in Sydney, a media report said Monday.

Police said the "predator" had waited until her housemate was away to sexually assault and kill her.

Tosha Thakkar's body was found Friday morning in a canal behind the Meadowbank Park in northwestern Sydney. It had been stuffed into a large, black, cloth suitcase, The Age reported.

Ninteen-year-old Daniel Stani-Reginald has been charged with raping and murdering Thakkar last week.

The case was mentioned briefly in the Burwood Local Court Monday.

Stani-Reginald, an Australian of Sri Lankan descent, is alleged to have murdered Thakker last Wednesday. He was arrested Friday night and charged over Thakkar's murder.

About 20 friends and family members of Thakkar, who had been living in Australia to study accounting, turned up at the court, the newspaper said.

"We are very upset, of course, and are just waiting to get justice ASAP. She was very nice, the type that got along with everybody and she didn't deserve this, such a painful death," The Age quoted a friend as saying outside the court.

Detective Chief Inspector Pamela Young said Thakkar was a respectful young woman and did not deserve this at all.

Young said Thakkar's parents had not yet made plans to come to Australia and police hoped to return her body to India for a proper Hindu funeral service.

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