US charges Indian national in 2017 New Jersey double murder of mother and son
Case questions India’s willingness to cooperate in extradition of nationals abroad
New York : The United States has announced federal charges against an Indian national, Nazeer Hameed, for the alleged 2017 murder of an Indian-origin woman and her six-year-old son in New Jersey, with the FBI offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to his arrest.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Nazeer Hameed, 38, has been charged with the murders of Sasikala Narra, 38, and her son Anish Narra in Maple Shade, New Jersey, on March 23, 2017. Both victims were killed by multiple slash wounds to the neck. The young child, Anish, was nearly decapitated during the attack.
The FBI’s Newark office described Hameed as “armed and dangerous.” He faces two counts of first-degree murder. Authorities say Hameed, who lived in the same apartment complex as the victims and worked at the same IT company as the victim’s husband, Hanumanth Narra, fled to India six months after the killings and has been residing there since.
A tiny droplet of blood found at the crime scene, which did not belong to the victims, was later matched through DNA evidence obtained from Hameed’s workplace laptop.
Despite repeated requests, Indian authorities failed to provide a DNA sample from Hameed. In October 2020, India’s Central Bureau of Investigation informed the FBI that Hameed had refused to give a sample. A Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty request made by the US in 2023 also remained unfulfilled.
Last year, then New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy had personally requested India’s assistance for Hameed’s extradition. However, the accused remains at large in India. The brutal nature of the crime — described by police as “unimaginable carnage” — shocked the local community. Maple Shade Police Chief Christopher Fletcher said both mother and son fought for their lives, with defensive wounds found on their bodies.
The case has once again highlighted serious questions over India’s willingness to cooperate in extradition matters involving its nationals accused of serious crimes abroad. Despite a bilateral extradition treaty, delays and lack of concrete action from the Indian side have allowed the suspect to evade justice for over nine years. KMS-12K
