Family of Indian woman murdered in US demands international arrest warrant against suspect

Hyderabad, Jan 7 (PTI) The family of Nikitha Godishala, an Indian national found dead in the US, has called for the immediate issuance of an international arrest warrant against the primary suspect, who is believed to have fled to India.

Godishala's kin are in touch with the US authorities to bring her mortal remains to Hyderabad.

The 27 year-old woman of Ellicott City in America was reported missing on January 2. Howard County police had said that she was found dead with stab wounds in the Columbia, Maryland apartment of her ex-roommate, Arjun Sharma, 26.

The US police have obtained a warrant for Sharma's arrest on first and second-degree murder charges, alleging that he killed her and fled to India.

"He (Arjun Sharma) should be arrested by issuing an international arrest warrant and punished sternly," a family member told PTI on Tuesday.

Nikitha's father Anand and mother, who is a heart patient, have been in grief since they came to know about the tragedy, he said.

The process of repatriation of the body is underway.

The family got in touch with Union Coal Minister G Kishan Reddy, who had said that he spoke to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to repatriate the body to India.

According to the victim's father, Nikitha came to know that Sharma had taken loans from many people and was planning to leave for India.

The suspect had called Nikitha on the pretext of repaying the debt before "killing" her.

The Indian Embassy in Washington DC is providing consular support and is in touch with Godishala’s family.

Nikitha, elder daughter of Anand, was living in the US for the last four years and was employed as a Data and Strategy Analyst at Vheda Health after completing her MS in the US. PTI SJR VVK SJR SA ROH