Arjun Sharma, a 26-year-old man accused of killing his ex-girlfriend in the United States, was arrested in Tamil Nadu, an India Today report confirmed. The arrest followed an international manhunt coordinated by Interpol. Nikitha Godishala, a 27-year-old Telugu woman, was found dead with stab wounds inside Sharma’s home in Maryland on January 3.
On January 2, Sharma had filed a missing complaint, claiming he had met Godishala on New Year’s Eve. He reportedly left for India soon after registering the complaint.
Godishala’s body was discovered at Sharma’s residence on January 3. Initial investigations suggest that Sharma killed her shortly after 7 pm on December 31.
Police have charged Sharma with both first-degree and second-degree murder. The motive behind the killing remains unclear at this stage.
“We are unaware of any previous calls for service or incidents involving the two of them,” Howard County police spokesman Seth Hoffman told WJZ Investigator Mike Hellgren. “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.”
What allegations have the family made?
The family alleged that Sharma had demanded money from both Nikitha and her relatives before her death.
Nikitha’s cousin, Saraswati Godishala, claimed that Sharma carried out unauthorized transactions worth about $3,500 (approximately 2.9 lakh) from Nikitha’s bank account before fleeing to India, citing the need for medical treatment for a hand injury.
Calling for urgent intervention, Saraswati appealed to the embassy to help secure justice for her cousin. She urged coordination between US and Indian authorities for a detailed investigation, consular assistance, and the repatriation of Godishala’s mortal remains to India.
What has the Indian Embassy said?
The Indian Embassy in the United States said it is in touch with Godishala’s family and is providing consular assistance. It added that it is “following up on the matter with the local authorities.”
Who was Nikitha Godishala?
Godishala worked as a Data and Strategy Analyst at Vheda Health in Columbia, Maryland. She joined the firm in February 2025 and received the “All-In Award” within a year for her performance. Previously, she spent over a year at Management Sciences for Health as a Data Analysis and Visualization Specialist and was associated with the University of Maryland, Baltimore County between June 2022 and May 2023.
In India, she worked at KIMS Hospitals as a Clinical Pharmacist intern for 18 months and later as a Clinical Data Specialist for two years. She completed her pharmacy degree at Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University before moving to the US to pursue a master’s degree in health information technology at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.
