Man accused of killing ‘former girlfriend’ in US caught in TN

The accused, identified as Arjun Sharma, was wanted in Maryland on the charges of first- and second-degree murder for allegedly killing Nikitha Godishala, a 27-year-old Indian-American data analyst. Godishala was found dead with multiple stab wounds in Sharma’s apartment in Columbia on January 3, according to the Howard County Police Department.

The US police said Sharma had reported Godishala missing on January 2, telling investigators that he last saw her on December 31 at his apartment in the 10100 block of Twin Rivers Road. However, the authorities later discovered that Sharma boarded a flight to India on the same day he filed the missing person report.

Detectives executed a search warrant at the apartment on January 3 and recovered Godishala’s body. Investigators believe she was killed shortly after 7 pm on December 31. The motive for the crime remains unknown, the police said.

Following the discovery, arrest warrants were issued against Sharma, and the US authorities worked with federal agencies and Interpol to locate him. He was traced to India and taken into custody in Tamil Nadu.

The US officials said they are now coordinating with the Indian authorities on the next legal steps, including extradition. Indian agencies have not issued a public statement on the arrest so far.

Meanwhile, Nikitha’s father Anand Godisala has called for tough punishment for the person responsible for his daughter's death.

He also denied that Arjun was her ex-boyfriend, and said he was her roommate earlier along with two others.