Investigators and police officers at the apartment block in Westmead. Picture: The Daily Telegraph
Strike Force formed to investigate Lankan woman’s death
August 29, 2014 09:37 am
Australian police have formed a strike force to investigate the suspicious death of a Sri Lankan woman, who allegedly drowned in a Western Sydney creek.
The brother who found his younger sister Amesha Rajapakse drowned just metres from their home said she was the “cleverest” person he knew.
Still unable to comprehend how the 31-year-old died sometime on Tuesday night, Sahan Rajapakse said his sister had gone out to buy food around 7.30pm but never returned.
The pair lived at the Absolute Waterfront Apartments Monarco Westmead with their father.
Ms Rajapakse was last seen pacing the foyer of her unit block looking agitated and using a thin scarf to keep the secured door open as she came in and out, The Daily Telegraph reported.
She was reportedly found with a scarf around her neck in a swollen creek in a hard-to-get to area on the other side of a large wall.
Her brother found her around 7.30am yesterday.
Mr Rajapakse said he called her mobile phone from work on Tuesday but his father answered.
“I ask where Amesha is, he (my father) said she still not come. He said I will tell her to call you. Then I did not get a call so I called in an hour,” he said with his distraught father by his side, both in tears.
“That day (Tuesday) I called on her mobile (which her father answered). She went to get milk and butter. I said that’s fine use the gift cards.”
“She is the cleverest. She got a lot of achievements. Her whole world was her family and close relatives.”
Ms Rajapakse arrived from Sri Lanka in 2009 and was an IT graduate.
Police were awaiting a post-mortem report to determine if Ms Rajapakse’s death was suspicious.
Investigators have seized footage from the complex’s 74 CCTV cameras.
The complex has put on extra security patrols with the hundreds of residents, especially women, in fear after the grisly discovery.
Ms Rajapakse’s death is being investigated by a newly formed police strike force, Strike Force Mandaring, which is trying to piece together her last movements.
Ms Rajapakse’s family members were interviewed at Parramatta police station in the hope of providing vital clues.
They were too upset to comment as they left the station.
The brother who found his younger sister Amesha Rajapakse drowned just metres from their home said she was the “cleverest” person he knew.
Still unable to comprehend how the 31-year-old died sometime on Tuesday night, Sahan Rajapakse said his sister had gone out to buy food around 7.30pm but never returned.
The pair lived at the Absolute Waterfront Apartments Monarco Westmead with their father.
Ms Rajapakse was last seen pacing the foyer of her unit block looking agitated and using a thin scarf to keep the secured door open as she came in and out, The Daily Telegraph reported.
She was reportedly found with a scarf around her neck in a swollen creek in a hard-to-get to area on the other side of a large wall.
Her brother found her around 7.30am yesterday.
Mr Rajapakse said he called her mobile phone from work on Tuesday but his father answered.
“I ask where Amesha is, he (my father) said she still not come. He said I will tell her to call you. Then I did not get a call so I called in an hour,” he said with his distraught father by his side, both in tears.
“That day (Tuesday) I called on her mobile (which her father answered). She went to get milk and butter. I said that’s fine use the gift cards.”
“She is the cleverest. She got a lot of achievements. Her whole world was her family and close relatives.”
Ms Rajapakse arrived from Sri Lanka in 2009 and was an IT graduate.
Police were awaiting a post-mortem report to determine if Ms Rajapakse’s death was suspicious.
Investigators have seized footage from the complex’s 74 CCTV cameras.
The complex has put on extra security patrols with the hundreds of residents, especially women, in fear after the grisly discovery.
Ms Rajapakse’s death is being investigated by a newly formed police strike force, Strike Force Mandaring, which is trying to piece together her last movements.
Ms Rajapakse’s family members were interviewed at Parramatta police station in the hope of providing vital clues.
They were too upset to comment as they left the station.
