Twenty-six-year-old Arjun Sharma was reportedly arrested in Tamil Nadu on Monday, January 5, allegedly fleeing the US after he was charged with murdering his former roommate, Hyderabad native Nikitha Godishala, in Columbia.
Sharma, on January 2, had approached Howard County to report Nikitha missing, claiming that he had last seen her on New Year’s Eve at his apartment on Twin River Road. However, after the police launched an investigation, Godishala was found dead at Sharma’s Columbia apartment in Maryland the next day, after which he allegedly fled the country, prompting an international manhunt.
Howard County Police had stated that they were working with federal and international authorities to capture the accused. “The US Attorney’s office works with Interpol, which is an international organisation, and they will eventually issue what is known as a ‘red notice’ — basically an international arrest warrant,” the police spokesperson, Seth Hoffman, told CBSNews.
While further details are awaited on Arjun’s arrest, Howard County Police said in a release that Godishala was found with multiple stab wounds in her ex-partner’s apartment. The police, declaring it a homicide, obtained a warrant for Sharma’s arrest on first and second-degree murder charges, alleging that he killed her and fled to India.
The motive behind the stabbing Godishala remains unknown at this time
“We are unaware of any previous calls for service or incidents involving the two of them,” Hoffman said. “We do believe it wasn’t uncommon that they would still meet each other and have communication after their relationship ended, but we don’t have a motive right now as to why he would kill her.”
Victim’s father calls for strict punishment
Meanwhile, Godishala’s father, Anand Godishala, on Monday, January 5, called for tough punishment for the person responsible for his daughter’s death.
Anand denied that Sharma was Godishala’s ex-boyfriend and said he was her roommate.
“He (Sharma) is a former roommate and not her ex-boyfriend. He reportedly made the complaint (to the police in the US) and fled to India,” an inconsolable Anand told reporters.
Citing media reports, Anand said his daughter came to know that Sharma had taken loans from many people and was planning to leave for India. Asked if he spoke to Godishala’s friends about any financial disputes as the reason for the alleged killing, he said he was not aware of it.
Nikitha had been living independently in Ellicott City for the last four years and was working as a data and strategy analyst at Vheda Health after completing an MS in the US, her uncle Santosh told PTI.
She had last visited India three years ago; her parents came to know of her death from her cousin, who also lives in the US.
Natives of Hyderabad, Anand’s family currently resides in Tarnaka.
(With inputs from PTI)
