Murder Charge in Arizona, Arrest in Germany: Indian Student’s Alleged Escape Route

An Indian student accused of killing his girlfriend in Arizona was arrested in Germany while allegedly attempting to travel to India.

By Sakhsi Singh

New Delhi, August 10: An Indian student studying in the US was arrested in Germany after being accused of murdering his 19-year-old girlfriend on August 6. The arrest came before he could travel onward to India, with the Tucson Police Department (TPD) charging him with first-degree murder and kidnapping. The arrest was carried out through coordination between US law enforcement agencies and the FBI's Berlin office.

Varun Batchigari, a 20-year-old business analytics student at the University of Arizona, allegedly murdered his 19-year-old girlfriend, Julissa Rubi Salazar, on August 6 at her apartment in Tucson.

According to the Tucson Police Department (TPD), Batchigari travelled to Tucson International Airport, where he boarded a flight to Germany with plans to continue to India.

Detectives obtained an arrest warrant charging Batchigari with first-degree murder and kidnapping.

How was he arrested?

"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," Tucson Police said in a statement.

Investigators allege that Batchigari stole Salazar's cellphone and credit cards after the killing and sent a series of text messages to her mother while posing as the victim in an apparent attempt to conceal the crime.

The messages raised concerns among Salazar's family, prompting a welfare check that led officers to discover her body.

An Indian student accused of killing his girlfriend in Arizona was arrested in Germany before he could continue his journey to India. (Representative Image)

Local media reported that the Tucson Fire Department (TFD) 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.

Salazar had strangulation marks and scratches on her neck, prompting the TFD crew to call the city police.

Past criminal records

According to the warrant obtained by KOLD-TV, Batchigari had previously been involved in an assault case investigated by the University of Arizona Police Department.

Witnesses interviewed by investigators said Salazar moved out after experiencing problems with Batchigari in late 2025 and had planned to end the relationship because of an alleged history of domestic violence.

The warrant also includes allegations from multiple witnesses describing prior violent behaviour.

According to the New York Post, Batchigari had an open criminal case against him for assault, knowingly causing injury, filed in Pima County Court in May.

One witness told investigators that Batchigari sexually assaulted her at a Halloween party but said she never reported the allegation to law enforcement.

Federal records reviewed by Fox News show that the student remained in lawful immigration status at the time of the alleged murder, despite his reported expulsion from the University of Arizona.

According to the Post report, Batchigari had also recently lost his job, leaving him unable to pay rent and putting his visa status in jeopardy.

Batchigari is awaiting extradition to Arizona, where he will be booked into the Pima County Adult Detention Complex on the warrant.

(With PTI Inputs)