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‘He’s hiding somewhere here, but no one looking for him’: Nikitha Godishala’s family on ex-flatmate who ‘fled’ US

The family in Secunderabad have urged US authorities to expedite proceedings for issuing an international arrest warrant against Arjun Sharma, who is believed to have fled to India.

2 min readHyderabadUpdated: Jan 6, 2026 09:44 PM IST

Godishala’s family has reached out to Secunderabad MP and Union Minister G Kishan Reddy to urge the Ministry of External Affairs to speak with authorities in the US to repatriate the body as soon as possible and to issue a Red Corner notice for the arrest of (Sharma. _iamnikkig_/Instagram | Image enhanced by ChatGPT)

The family of Nikitha Godishala, a 27-year-old woman from Secunderabad who was found murdered in the US, has urged authorities there to expedite the process of issuing an international arrest warrant for Arjun Sharma, her former flatmate who is accused of killing her and is believed to have fled to India.

According to police in the US state of Maryland, Godishala’s body was found on January 3 inside her former flatmate Arjun Sharma’s apartment in Maryland City. Local police said Sharma had reported her missing on January 2, saying that she was last seen on New Year’s Eve at his flat. He then flew back to India the same day. According to authorities, Sharma allegedly killed her on December 31.

Godishala’s family has reached out to Secunderabad MP and Union Minister G Kishan Reddy to urge the Ministry of External Affairs to speak with authorities in the US to repatriate the body as soon as possible and to issue a Red Corner notice for the arrest of Sharma.

Reddy said he was in touch with MEA officials. “It is known that he fled to India and is hiding somewhere here, but no one is searching for him because there is no international arrest warrant,” a family member said.

Members of Godishala’s family, who live in Vijayapuri Colony in Secunderabad, said they were numb with grief and did not know who to turn to.

Officials have told the family that the US Attorney’s Office would work with Interpol and that a Red notice, which is an international arrest warrant, would be issued soon.

While police in Maryland said they did not yet know of the motive for her murder, her father, Anand Godishala, has said that Sharma had borrowed money from his daughter and that there was a dispute when she asked him to return the money.

Sreenivas Janyala

Sreenivas Janyala is a Deputy Associate Editor at The Indian Express, where he serves as one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political and economic landscape of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. With a career spanning over two decades in mainstream journalism, he provides deep-dive analysis and frontline reporting on the intricate dynamics of South Indian governance. Expertise and Experience Regional Specialization: Based in Hyderabad, Sreenivas has spent more than 20 years documenting the evolution of the Telugu-speaking states. His reporting was foundational during the historic Telangana statehood movement and continues to track the post-bifurcation development of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Key Coverage Beats: His extensive portfolio covers a vast spectrum of critical issues: High-Stakes Politics: Comprehensive tracking of regional powerhouses (BRS, TDP, YSRCP, and Congress), electoral shifts, and the political careers of figures like K. Chandrashekar Rao, Chandrababu Naidu, and Jagan Mohan Reddy. Internal Security & Conflict: Authoritative reporting on Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), the decline of the Maoist movement in former hotbeds, and intelligence-led investigations into regional security modules. Governance & Infrastructure: Detailed analysis of massive irrigation projects (like Kaleshwaram and Polavaram), capital city developments (Amaravati), and the implementation of state welfare schemes. Crisis & Health Reporting: Led the publication's ground-level coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic in South India and major industrial incidents, such as the Vizag gas leak. Analytical Depth: Beyond daily news, Sreenivas is known for his "Explained" pieces that demystify complex regional disputes, such as river water sharing and judicial allocations between the sister states. ... Read More

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