United States: A young Indian healthcare worker was discovered fatally stabbed inside an apartment in the US state of Maryland, according to police, as they began a global hunt for her ex-boyfriend, who departed for India only hours after she was reported missing.

Nikitha Godishala, 27, of Ellicott City, was discovered dead on January 3 inside the Columbia apartment of her ex-partner, Arjun Sharma, 26. Sharma, who is also from India, is currently wanted on first- and second-degree murder charges, and US authorities are collaborating with federal agencies to track down and apprehend him after verifying he traveled to India, Howard County police said on Sunday.

Sharma informed Howard County Police that he had last seen Godishala on December 31 at his apartment in the 10100 block of Twin Rivers Road. He reported her missing on January 2. According to an official announcement, authorities ultimately concluded that Sharma left the United States for India later that same day.

Godishala’s corpse with stab wounds was found at the flat on January 3, according to Howard County Police, after its investigators carried out a search order. She was slain on December 31, New Year’s Eve, just after 7 p.m., according to the police. According to a media statement, investigators said that the investigation is still underway and that no motive has been found as of yet.

Following the finding, Howard County police said that an arrest warrant had been issued, accusing Sharma of first- and second-degree murder. As attempts to find and capture the suspect continue, the department said in a statement that it is working with US federal law enforcement authorities.

Godishala was a highly skilled healthcare and data analytics specialist with a background in data administration, clinical research, pharmacy, and health information technology, according to her LinkedIn profile. Her biography demonstrates her proficiency in analytics, regulatory compliance, and healthcare quality systems, as well as her enthusiasm for using data-driven insights to enhance healthcare systems and patient outcomes.

She graduated with a doctor of pharmacy from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University in India and a master’s degree in health information technology from the University of Maryland Baltimore County. Data analytics, dashboard creation, healthcare laws like HIPAA, and technologies like SQL, Tableau, Power BI, and Python were among her competencies.

According to US law, deliberate homicides that are not premeditated are considered second-degree murder, while first-degree murder requires premeditation.

Notably, there is an extradition treaty between the United States and India that permits cooperation in major criminal cases; nevertheless, these processes often include judicial hearings and diplomatic coordination, which may take months.