Arnima Hayat has been remembered as a “noble child from a noble family” after the aspiring doctor was allegedly murdered by her partner, Meraj Zafar, in Sydney’s west.
Arnima’s body was found by police in a bathtub of chemicals at her home on Pennant Hills Road in North Parramatta about 4.30pm on Sunday, sparking a manhunt for her 20-year-old partner.
Zafar turned himself in at Bankstown police station on Monday before being arrested and charged with her murder.
Arnima, 19, was in her second year of medicine at university with dreams of becoming a surgeon, her parents told Channel Seven.
Abu and Mahafuza Hayat, originally from Bangladesh, said their daughter “wanted to help people”.
“Everyone hoped she’d become a big doctor,” father Abu said. “I want my daughter, I love my daughter.”
Mahafuza sobbed as she spoke. “My daughter’s not coming,” she said.
Canterbury Bankstown councillor Sazeda Akter described Arnima as an “angel” and a “noble child”.
“We have lost a young soul within our community, someone who I have seen grow up in front of my eyes,” Akter wrote on Facebook.
“A noble child from a noble family. It breaks my heart to see how things have transpired.”
Arnima and her partner moved into the apartment late last year, according to neighbours who spoke to Channel Nine.
Prieta Mamun, a Bangladeshi Australian influencer and online makeup retailer, remembers connecting online with “hype girl” Arnima in 2020.
“She was very kind and supportive of outfits that I would wear and my style and the fact that I was Bengali like her,” Prieta told the Guardian.
“She was a self care kind of girl. She would love getting her nails done, she loved false eyelashes.”
Prieta was devastated when she heard Arnima had allegedly been killed by her partner.
“It’s just excruciating,” she said.
“I was just very shocked and really just defeated and exhausted.”
Speaking on Monday, Parramatta police Supt Julie Boon said it was hard for the officers who found Arnima, after her family called authorities with concerns for her welfare.
“I can confirm there were chemicals found inside the bathroom of the unit,” she said.
“The scene was very challenging for arriving police. When they did arrive and found chemicals at the unit, they retreated and called other units.”
A truck, believed to belong to accused killer Zafar, was seized in Greenacre for forensic examination.
Zafar did not appear in person or via video link in Bankstown local court on Tuesday when his matter was mentioned before magistrate Shane McAnulty.
Police allege he murdered Arnima between Saturday and Sunday, according to court documents.
Zafar’s lawyer Mohamad Sakr told reporters outside court he did not know if his client would fight the charges.
“He’s distraught about being in custody,” he said.
“It’s just a matter of whether he wishes to fight these charges or not, but I will take those instructions and advise accordingly.”
Zafar did not apply for bail and is due to appear again on 5 April.
