# Indian student arrested in Germany for US murder, extradition awaited 2026-08-10T02:21:58+00:00 | World & Diplomacy | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Varun Batchigari, a 20-year-old Indian student from the University of Arizona, was arrested in Germany on August 6 after allegedly murdering his girlfriend, 19-year-old Julissa Rubi Salazar, in Tucson, Arizona. Police say Batchigari strangled Salazar in her apartment, then stole her phone and credit cards, using them to send text messages to her mother pretending to be Salazar. The suspicious messages led to a welfare check, where officers found Salazar’s body with strangulation marks and scratches. According to the Tucson Police Department, Batchigari fled to Tucson International Airport, flew to Houston, then boarded a flight to Germany, planning to travel on to India. The FBI worked with German authorities to take him into custody upon arrival. He faces charges of first-degree murder and kidnapping. Court documents cited by KOLD-TV reveal prior allegations of domestic violence and sexual assault against Batchigari, including an assault case investigated by university police. Salazar had moved out and planned to end the relationship, sources told investigators. Batchigari awaits extradition to Arizona. ## Coverage - hindustantimes.com - hindustantimes.com - news.abplive.com - indiatvnews.com - siasat.com Tags: Arizona, domestic violence, extradition, Germany, indian-student, murder Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/indian-student-arrested-in-germany-for-arizona-murder/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/indian-student-arrested-in-germany-for-arizona-murder/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.