Nikitha Godishala murder: Ex-boyfriend Arjun Sharma arrested in Tamil Nadu after fleeing from US

Arjun Sharma, a 26-year-old from India, was arrested in Tamil Nadu in connection with the alleged murder of his former girlfriend, Nikitha Godishala, in Maryland, USA. The arrest followed a global manhunt orchestrated by Interpol. Godishala, a 27-year-old Indian-American data analyst, was found dead in Sharma's Columbia apartment on January 3, with multiple stab wounds.

The previous day, January 2, Sharma had filed a report claiming Godishala was missing, saying that they last saw each other on New Year’s Eve. However, it was revealed that he had left for India that same day. Following the discovery of her body, the Howard County Police charged Sharma with both first-degree and second-degree murder. While the investigation is ongoing, the motive behind the killing remains unclear. "We have no prior record of any incidents involving the two," said Seth Hoffman, a spokesperson for the Howard County Police. "It appears they may have continued to communicate after their relationship ended, but we don’t yet understand why he would kill her."

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Godishala had been working at Vheda Health as a Data and Strategy Analyst since February 2025 and had recently received the company’s “All-In Award.” In the wake of the tragedy, Godishala’s family said that Sharma had previously asked both her and her family for financial assistance. They also claimed that Sharma withdrew around $3,500 from her bank account without permission before fleeing to India under the pretext of needing medical treatment for an injured hand.

Her cousin, Saraswati Godishala, has called on the embassy to take immediate action, urging collaboration between US and Indian authorities to ensure justice for her cousin. She also requested support for repatriating Godishala’s body to India. The Indian Embassy in the United States confirmed that it is in touch with Godishala’s family, offering consular support and following up with local authorities to help in the investigation.