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 Stani-Reginald, an Australian of Sri Lankan descent, is alleged to have murdered Thakkar last Wednesday. He was arrested Friday night and charged over Thakkar's murder.
(Read: 'Suitcase murder' wasn't racially motivated, says Australian govt) 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.
The Indian government, meanwhile, took a strong view of the incident, terming it as "unfortunate". External Affairs Minister S M Krishna today said the government was closely monitoring the investigations in the case.
(Read: India's reaction to student's murder in Australia)