Maryland Woman Found Stabbed, Ex-Boyfriend Arjun Sharma Flees To India

Photo: Instagram

COLUMBIA, MD -Howard County police are investigating the fatal stabbing of a 27 year old Indian healthcare professional whose body was found inside an apartment here, as authorities pursue her former boyfriend who left the United States for India hours after reporting her missing.

Police said Nikitha Godishala of Ellicott City was discovered dead on January 3 inside an apartment in the 10100 block of Twin Rivers Road belonging to her former partner, Arjun Sharma, 26. Investigators said Godishala suffered stab wounds and is believed to have been killed shortly after 7 pm on December 31, New Year’s Eve.

Sharma is wanted on first and second degree murder charges. According to police, he contacted authorities on January 2 to report Godishala missing and stated that he last saw her on December 31 at his apartment. Investigators later confirmed that Sharma departed the United States for India later that same day.

Detectives executed a search warrant at the apartment on January 3, where Godishala’s body was found, police said in an official release. Authorities have not identified a motive and said the investigation remains ongoing.

Howard County police said an arrest warrant has been issued for Sharma and that they are working with United States federal law enforcement agencies to locate and apprehend him internationally after confirming his travel to India.

Godishala was a healthcare and data analytics professional, according to her LinkedIn profile. Her work experience included pharmacy, clinical research, health information technology and data management, with a focus on improving healthcare systems and patient outcomes through analytical methods and regulatory compliance.

She held a master’s degree in Health Information Technology from the University of Maryland Baltimore County and a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University in India. Her professional skills included healthcare data analytics, dashboard development, compliance with healthcare regulations such as HIPAA, and technical tools including SQL, Tableau, Power BI and Python.

The United States and India have an extradition treaty that allows cooperation in serious criminal cases, although such proceedings typically require court review and diplomatic coordination and may take several months. (IANS)