The murder of a 27-year-old woman from Hyderabad in the United States has taken a new turn, with her family firmly rejecting claims that the accused was her boyfriend.
Nikitha Godishala, who was working in Colombia, Maryland, was found murdered inside an apartment belonging to an Indian-origin man, Arjun Sharma (26), who is now wanted on first- and second-degree murder charges, according to the Howard County Police Department.
Police said Nikitha’s body was discovered on January 3 at an apartment on Twin Rivers Road in Colombia, after Sharma himself reported her missing a day earlier. Authorities later confirmed that Nikitha had sustained stab wounds. Sharma is believed to have fled to India.
‘He Was Not Her Boyfriend’
Amid reports describing Sharma as Nikitha’s ex-boyfriend, her father, Anand Godishala, has strongly denied the claim.
“The alleged culprit is not her ex-boyfriend. Please do not report it like that,” he said while speaking to the media in Secunderabad. According to him, Sharma was one of the housemates in the apartment where Nikitha had previously lived and later moved away.
The family alleges that the motive behind the crime was financial. Nikitha had lent Sharma money, and when she asked for it back, he allegedly called her to his apartment and killed her.
Nikitha’s cousin Saraswati said she had initially transferred $4,500 to Sharma, of which $3,500 was returned. When he later asked for an additional $1,000, Nikitha refused and instead demanded the remaining amount from the earlier loan. She went to his apartment on December 31 to recover the money, following which she was killed, the family claimed.
Nikitha Completed Master’s Degree
Nikitha lived in nearby Ellicott City and had completed her master’s degree at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. She was working as a data and strategy analyst with Vheda Health and had previously worked at a corporate hospital in Hyderabad.
The Indian Embassy in the United States confirmed it is in touch with Nikitha’s family and is providing consular assistance, while coordinating with local authorities.
Following her disappearance, members of the Indian community in Maryland launched an online search campaign urging residents of Colombia to share any information with the police.
The case has triggered outrage and grief both in Hyderabad and among the Indian diaspora in the US, as investigators intensify efforts to trace the suspect and clarify the circumstances surrounding the killing.
