Nineteen-year-old Sunbury woman Jamie Lee Dolheguy has been accused of fatally attacking 24-year-old Indian student Maulin Rathod when the pair met on July 23rd.
It comes after emergency services were called to a residential address in Sunbury, in Melbourne’s north-west about 9pm on July 23rd night following which Mr Rathod from Ahmedabad was taken to Sunshine Hospital with “life-threatening injuries”.
He died in hospital the following day.
The young woman appeared before Melbourne Magistrates Court via a video link from custody on Monday.
She was arrested last week and charged with attempted murder, intentionally causing serious injury and recklessly causing serious injury.
Her charges were upgraded to murder before she fronted the court, Victoria Police confirmed to SBS Hindi.
She will appear before the court again on November 19th, a police spokesperson said.
Maulin Rathod. Source: SBS Gujarati
Repatriation of body delayed
Legal formalities following Maulin’s tragic death have delayed the repatriation of his body to India.
The Consulate General of India in Melbourne which ha been in touch with Maulin's family in Ahmedabad and Melbourne has said it may take "slightly longer time to repatriate Maulin's mortal remains".
In a statement, the authorities said, “Considering the unusual circumstances surrounding the tragic death, the Australian authorities would need to complete extra-legal formalities before the mortal remains are released, and hence the transportation of the mortal remains of Late Maulin back to India may take slightly longer time.
“However, all efforts are being made by the Consulate, in coordination with the Australian authorities, to expedite the completion of the required formalities, so that the mortal remains of Late Maulin Hirenkumar Rathod are repatriated at the earliest.”
Maulin Rathod Source: Facebook
“Family devastated”
Neeraj Chavada, Rathod’s cousin in Melbourne told SBS Hindi that the young boy’s family who lives in Ahmedabad, Gujarat are devastated after hearing about their ‘only child’s death’.
The 24-year-old who arrived in Australia to pursue an Accounting course in Melbourne has been remembered by friends and family as one of the ‘kindest souls who had more friends than money’.
“He was such a kind soul. He had so many friends. He was empathetic and would rush to help even if he had known the person only for a day,” his cousin said.
“He loved dogs and was a passionate cricketer. He was full of life.
“He was his parents’ only child. His mother is devastated. She hasn’t eaten anything and is desperate to see her child,” Mr Chavada told SBS Hindi.
