In a tragic incident on New Year's Eve, 27-year-old Indian-origin data analyst Nikitha Godishala was fatally stabbed in her apartment in Columbia, Maryland, with her family alleging that the killer was motivated by a financial dispute rather than any romantic fallout. The Howard County police have identified the prime suspect as 26-year-old Arjun Sharma, who reportedly fled to India after the crime, prompting an international manhunt and charges of first- and second-degree murder.

Nikitha's father, Anand Godishala, addressing the media in Hyderabad, firmly rejected reports portraying Sharma as his daughter's ex-boyfriend, clarifying that the accused had previously been her roommate along with two others in a shared apartment. He emphasized that the motive appeared rooted in money matters, stating that Sharma had borrowed substantial amounts from Nikitha and others, and the confrontation escalated fatally when she demanded repayment ahead of his planned departure to India.

According to Anand, Sharma habitually took loans from multiple individuals, including his daughter, and the tension peaked in the days leading up to the murder when Nikitha refused an additional request for funds after he had partially repaid an earlier amount. Reports suggest Sharma borrowed USD 4,500 shortly before the incident, returning USD 3,500 but seeking another USD 1,000, which was denied, fueling the deadly dispute as per family accounts.

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Nikitha's cousin, Saraswati Godishala, has lodged a formal complaint with the Indian Embassy in the United States, providing details of the financial transactions to support the family's claims. Nikitha, who had moved to Columbia four years ago for work, last spoke to her father on December 31 night to extend New Year wishes, unaware of the impending tragedy that would unfold hours later.

While initial media reports claimed Sharma's arrest in Tamil Nadu, authorities later clarified that the detained individual merely resembled the suspect and was released. US police maintain that the killing was premeditated, with an arrest warrant issued, and efforts continue to secure Sharma's extradition to face justice for the brutal stabbing that has left the family devastated and demanding swift repatriation of Nikitha's body.

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