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An Indian pupil accused of murdering his girlfriend in Tucson, U.S., was arrested in Germany earlier than he may board a connecting flight to his residence nation.
Varun Batchigari, 20, a enterprise analytics pupil on the College of Arizona, allegedly murdered his 19-year-old girlfriend, Julissa Rubi Salazar on August 6 at a Tucson house.
In accordance with the Tucson Police Division (TPD), Mr. Batchigari travelled to the Tucson Worldwide Airport, the place he boarded a flight to Germany with plans to proceed to India.
Detectives obtained an arrest warrant charging Mr. Batchigari with first diploma homicide and kidnapping.
“Via shut coordination between TPD, the FBI Tucson Workplace and the FBI Authorized Attache Workplace in Berlin, Batchigari was taken into custody upon his arrival in Germany, stopping him from persevering with his journey,” Tucson Police stated in a press release.
Investigators allege that Mr. Batchigari stole Salazar’s cellphone and bank cards after the killing and despatched a sequence of textual content messages to her mom whereas posing because the sufferer in an obvious try to hide the crime.
The messages raised concern amongst Salazar’s household, prompting a welfare examine that led officers to find her physique.
Native media reported that the Tucson Hearth Division (TFD) responded to a name a few cardiac arrest round 4 pm on August 6. Crews discovered Salazar lifeless on the ground of her house with a blanket pulled as much as her neck.
Salazar had strangulation marks and scratches on her neck, so the TFD crew referred to as the town police.
In accordance with the warrant, obtained by KOLD-TV, Mr. Batchigari had beforehand been concerned in an assault case investigated by the College of Arizona Police Division.
Witnesses interviewed by investigators stated Salazar moved out after experiencing issues with Mr. Batchigari in late 2025 and had deliberate to finish the connection due to an alleged historical past of home violence.
The warrant additionally consists of allegations from a number of witnesses describing prior violent behaviour. One witness instructed investigators that Batchigari sexually assaulted her at a Halloween get together however stated she by no means reported the allegation to legislation enforcement.
Federal data reviewed by Fox Information present Mr. Batchigari remained in lawful immigration standing on the time of the alleged homicide regardless of his reported expulsion from the College of Arizona.
Mr. Batchigari is awaiting extradition to Arizona, the place he can be booked into the Pima County Grownup Detention Complicated on his warrant.
Printed – August 10, 2026 09:37 am IST
