The father of Nikitha Godishala, the 27-year-old from Secunderabad who was found dead in the US at the flat of a man local police described as her “ex-boyfriend”, her father has said the accused was not her ex-boyfriend, but her “ex-flatmate” and that the two had had financial disagreements.
Anand Godishala from Secunderabad told The Indian Express that Nikitha had gone to the US in 2021. “She had gone for higher studies and had started working there (in the US). It is not right to call the accused her ex-boyfriend. He is her ex-flatmate. Four of them used to live in that apartment. After she started working two years ago, she moved to a separate flat. I believe that there was some financial disagreement with the accused,” he said.
According to police in Maryland, where Nikitha’s body was found on January 3 in accused Arjun Sharma’s flat, Sharma allegedly killed her on New Year’s Eve and then reported her missing on January 2 before fleeing to India.
Nikitha lived in Ellicott City, Maryland, where she worked as a data analyst. She had previously completed a pharmacy course from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University in Hyderabad before moving to the US for a Master’s in Health Information Technology from the University of Maryland.
While police in Maryland said they did not yet know of the motive for her murder, Anand Godishala said Sharma had borrowed money from his daughter.
“He had a habit of borrowing money, and he borrowed from my daughter, too. When she asked him to return the money, I think he asked her to come to his flat, and he attacked her there and fled. I request the Centre and state governments to help us bring back my daughter’s body as soon as possible,” he said.
Anand’s elder daughter, Saraswati, also lives in the US.
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A statement by the Howard County in Maryland said, “Arjun Sharma, 26, made the missing person report to police and said he last saw his ex-girlfriend, Nikitha Godishala, 27, of Ellicott City, on December 31 in his apartment in the 10100 block of Twin Rivers Road. Police later learned that on the same day as making the report, January 2, Sharma left the country on a flight to India. Detectives on January 3 executed a search warrant for his apartment and located Godishala deceased. Through investigation, detectives believe Sharma killed Godishala shortly after 7 pm on December 31. The investigation is ongoing, and no motive is known at this time. Howard County police are working with United States federal law enforcement to locate and arrest Sharma.”
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
