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Lankan found dead in Sydney

29 Aug 2014 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

A 31-year-old Sri Lankan, Amesha Rajapakse was found dead in a Western Sydney creek at Westmead on Tuesday night, The Daily Telegraph reported.

Sahan Rajapakse, the brother of Ms 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.

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.

Sahan Rajapakse, the brother of Amesha Rajapakse, and his father

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.

“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.” He said the last conversation he had with her was on Monday was “nothing special”.

“She’s my little sister the day before Monday I bought some takeaway food (for her),” he said. “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. She was not married. Police were awaiting a post-mortem report to determine if Ms Rajapakse’s death was suspicious.

Investigators have seized footage from 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.

One staff member at the unit block said Ms Rajapakse’s brother was a “complete mess”.

He said police were knocking on almost every door of the 500-unit block, and half a dozen detectives and more than 20 uniformed officers remained at the scene at 6pm.

They will continue to canvass the area today. According to the building manager, Ms Rajapakse left the complex at 7.30pm on Tuesday.
“All I can take from that is she didn’t have her access card,” a staff member said.

It is not known if it was the same scarf found around her neck. The 31-year-old woman had inquired only two weeks ago about access to the gym and swimming pool of the up-market block, which has two-bedroom units renting for more than $1000 a week.

“She was the nicest, most laid-back person ever,” the staff member said. “She didn’t seem to have a worry in the world.”

With police unable to confirm if the death was suspicious, the female residents of the unit block were terrified. “A lot of women are extremely concerned,” the staff member said.

After heavy rain the creek was running high and police working on the scene were up to their waists in water.

Police at the scene of the drowning on Bridge Rd, Westmead.

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Lankan found dead in Sydney

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