Arjun Sharma, a 26-year-old Indian national, has been arrested in Tamil Nadu in connection with the alleged murder of his former girlfriend, Nikita Godishala, in Maryland, USA, according to India Today. The arrest comes after an international manhunt coordinated by Interpol.
Nikita Godishala, 27, an Indian-American data analyst, was discovered dead with multiple stab wounds in Sharma’s apartment in Columbia on January 3.
Sharma had filed a missing person report on January 2, claiming he last saw Godishala on New Year’s Eve. He then flew to India the same day.
The motive for the killing remains unclear. “We are unaware of any prior incidents involving them,” Howard County police spokesman Seth Hoffman told WJZ Investigator Mike Hellgren. “They did maintain communication after their relationship ended, but we currently do not know why this crime occurred.”
Godishala had worked at Vheda Health as a Data and Strategy Analyst since February 2025 and had recently received the company’s “All-In Award,” sources close to her family told India Today.
Nikita’s family revealed that Sharma had solicited money from her and them before her death. Her cousin, Saraswati Godishala, claimed Sharma made unauthorized withdrawals totaling around $3,500 from Nikita’s bank account before fleeing to India, falsely claiming he needed medical treatment for a hand injury.
Saraswati urged the embassy to take swift action to ensure justice. She called for collaboration between U.S. and Indian authorities to conduct a thorough investigation, provide consular support, and facilitate the repatriation of Nikita’s remains to India.
