Tearful goodbye to Prabha

The last rites of Prabha Arun Kumar, the software engineer murdered in Sydney on March 7, were performed at her hometown in Amtoor in the Bantwal taluk on Sunday.

A large number of people, including relatives, friends teachers and villagers, gathered at Prabha's parental house “Nandagokula” to bid the 41-year-old a tearful adieu.

Prabha’s body was brought to Bengaluru on Saturday night by her husband Arun Kumar and brother Dr Shankar Shetty, and kept at a relative’s house in Bapuji Layout till 10.30 am on Sunday.
While it was there, Union Law Minister D V Sadananda Gowda, Chemical and Fertilisers Minister Ananth Kumar, Karnataka ministers K J George, H C Mahadevappa and R Roshan Baig, MP Shobha Karandlaje, MLAs V Somanna and Priya Krishna, Mayor Shantha Kumar, City Police Commissioner M N Reddi and retired IPS officer Subash Bharani paid their last respects.

“The family members are going through a great turmoil, and the government has stood by them,” said Ananth Kumar.

“External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has been in touch with the family and her Australian counterparts with regard to the murder probe,” he added.
Prabha’s body was on Sunday flown from HAL airport to her hometown in a special flight arranged by Mindtree, the firm that had employed her. It arrived there at 12:30 pm.

Even before the body reached the residence, people gathered in large numbers to express condolence.

Prabha’s parents Mahabala Shetty and Sarojini, daughter Meghana, brothers Dr Shankar Shetty, Shivaprasad Shetty, Nithin Shetty and sister Shubha Shetty were inconsolable as the body was taken for the last rites. Arun Kumar lit the pyre amidst mango trees near the house.

Health Minister U T Khadar, District-in-Charge Minister Ramanath Rai, MLC Ivan D'Souza, MLAs Mohiuddin Bava and Shakunthala Shetty, MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, former minister Nagaraj Shetty and others expressed condolences to the family and paid last respect to Prabha.
The management of St Antony Aided Higher Primary School, Karingana, near Amtoor, where Prabha had studied, had offered a special prayer to her on Saturday.