The international search led by Interpol for the suspect in the killing of a Telugu woman in the United States has concluded in Tamil Nadu, where the accused, Arjun Sharma, has been arrested.
26-year-old Sharma is alleged to have murdered Nikitha Rao Godishala, a 27-year-old Indian-American data analyst living in Maryland, before fleeing to India shortly after the incident.
Godishala was reported missing on January 2nd after Sharma, her former boyfriend, approached Howard County Police stating he had last seen her on New Year’s Eve.
Investigators soon found inconsistencies in his statement and confirmed that Sharma had left the United States for India on the same day he reported her missing.
Following her disappearance, police obtained a search warrant for Sharma’s apartment on Twin Rivers Road in Columbia, Maryland.
On January 3rd, Godishala’s body was discovered inside the residence.
The case was subsequently treated as a homicide, with authorities suspecting a domestic crime.
Arrest warrants were later issued against Sharma on charges including first- and second-degree murder.
The motive is still being investigated.
Godishala was employed as a Data and Strategy Analyst at Vheda Health, having joined the company in February 2025.
She was residing in Ellicott City, Maryland, and was living independently at the time of her death.
US federal agencies worked closely with Indian authorities to trace Sharma after his departure from the country.
Sources said he was arrested in Tamil Nadu following coordinated surveillance and intelligence sharing through Interpol.
Extradition proceedings are expected to begin in due course.
The Indian Embassy in the United States confirmed it is in contact with Godishala’s family and is providing consular support.
Authorities also clarified that an individual shown in a widely circulated image on social media is not connected to the case as an accused.
Source: India Today
