The parents of Hyderabad woman Nikitha Godishala, who was found murdered in the United States, have described the arrest of the accused as an “important breakthrough,” but said their fight for answers and justice is far from over.
Nikitha, 27, was found dead with stab wounds in the apartment of her 26-year-old ex-boyfriend, Arjun Sharma, in Columbia on January 3.
Sharma had filed a missing person complaint a day earlier, telling police that he had last seen Nikitha at his apartment on December 31. Investigators later learnt that he had left the US for India just hours after filing the complaint.
After months of investigation, Hyderabad police traced Sharma to a flat in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, on August 24.
“Arrest Is a Beginning, Not the End”
Nikitha’s family said Sharma’s arrest was only the beginning and urged US authorities to provide greater transparency and cooperation.
“We cannot bring our daughter back. We ran from pillar to post, made nearly 200 calls and refused to give up even when we feared justice might never come,” the family said.
They thanked the Government of India, the National Human Rights Commission, police officials and others who supported them during their efforts to seek justice.
“We now respectfully ask the US authorities for transparency, cooperation and answers. We are not asking for special treatment. We are asking for what every parent deserves when their child is killed — the truth,” they said.
The family added that they would continue their fight until Nikitha receives justice and dignity.
Family Raises Questions Over Communication
Nikitha’s parents have also expressed concern over the way information was communicated to them by US authorities.
They alleged that they were not officially informed that Nikitha’s body had been found inside a suitcase and instead learnt about the detail through media reports.
“We received crucial information through the media, not officially,” the family said.
Financial Transactions Under Focus
The family also claimed that Sharma had borrowed money from Nikitha and some of her relatives after losing his job in the US.
According to them, financial disputes involving money allegedly owed to Nikitha existed before her death. They also claimed that Sharma had financial dealings with other people in the US.
The family has now requested investigators in both India and the United States to closely examine financial transactions, communications, and activity linked to Nikitha’s bank accounts and mobile phone before and after her death.
They want investigators to determine whether any of those financial dealings or communications had a connection to the crime.
While Sharma’s arrest has brought some relief to the family, Nikitha’s parents say several crucial questions remain unanswered.
For them, the arrest is not the end of the case, but only the beginning of a longer fight to uncover the full truth behind their daughter’s death.
