Indian student murder accused held in Germany while fleeing US for India

An Indian student accused of killing his girlfriend in Tucson was arrested in Germany while allegedly fleeing to India. Investigators say the cross-border arrest halted an attempted escape and sets up his extradition to Arizona.Stock photo used for illustrationA 20-year-old Indian student accused of killing his girlfriend in the US was arrested in Germany before he could take a connecting flight to India, according to police in Tucson. Varun Batchigari, a business analytics student at the University of Arizona, is accused of murdering 19-year-old Julissa Rubi Salazar at her apartment on August 6.Police said Batchigari flew from Tucson to Germany and was stopped there after detectives obtained an arrest warrant charging him with first-degree murder and kidnapping. He is now awaiting extradition to Arizona, where he will be booked into the Pima County Adult Detention Complex.According to the Tucson Police Department, Batchigari travelled to Tucson International Airport after the alleged killing and boarded a flight to Germany with plans to continue to India. In a statement, police said, "Through close coordination between TPD, the FBI Tucson Office, and the FBI Legal Attache Office in Berlin, Batchigari was taken into custody upon his arrival in Germany, preventing him from continuing his travel."Investigators alleged that after the killing, Batchigari stole Salazar's mobile phone and credit cards and sent a series of text messages to her mother while pretending to be Salazar in an apparent attempt to hide the crime. The messages alarmed Salazar's family and led to a welfare check, during which officers found her body. Local media reported that the Tucson Fire Department responded to a call about a cardiac arrest at around 4 pm on August 6. Crews found Salazar dead on the floor of her apartment with a blanket pulled up to her neck. She had strangulation marks and scratches on her neck, following which fire department personnel called city police.According to the warrant, Batchigari had previously been involved in an assault case investigated by the University of Arizona Police Department. Witnesses told investigators that Salazar had moved out after experiencing problems with Batchigari and had planned to end the relationship because of an alleged history of domestic violence. The warrant also contains allegations from multiple witnesses describing earlier violent behaviour. According to the New York Post, Batchigari had an open criminal case filed in Pima County Court in May on an assault charge of knowingly causing injury. One witness told investigators that Batchigari sexually assaulted her at a Halloween party, but said she had not reported the allegation to law enforcement. Federal records reviewed by Fox News showed that he remained in lawful immigration status at the time of the alleged murder despite his reported expulsion from the University of Arizona. The Post also reported that he had recently lost his job, affecting his ability to pay rent and putting his visa status in jeopardy.In sum, police say Batchigari tried to leave for India after Salazar was found dead in her apartment, but he was arrested in Germany and is now awaiting extradition to Arizona to face charges of first-degree murder and kidnapping.With PTI Inputs- EndsPublished By: India Today Web Desk Published On: Aug 10, 2026 13:12 IST