The US authorities have sought the extradition of Nazeer Hameed, an Indian man, currently living in India, on charges of murdering a mother and son in 2017 in a New Jersey flat. 38-year-old Sasikala Narra and her 6-year-old son, Anish, were stabbed multiple times and the crime scene was described as difficult to forget as there were signs that both of them fought back the attack. Eight years have passed and Hameed went back to India but the investigation went on and now finally Nazeer Hameed has been charged with murder. Nazeer was a co-worker of Sasikala’s husband and used to live within walking distance of the Narras. He was in the US on a work visa but he returned to India six months after the murders.
What took so long in the investigation
Patrick Thornton, the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office chief of investigations, said investigators collected various evidence at the crime scene, including blood samples. A lab report issued after two years showed that a single drop of blood collected did not belong to the family. Then, investigators determined Nazeer Hameed was a person of interest.Nazeer was already in India and refused to give a DNA sample for the match which was crucial to solving the case. In 2024, the investigators obtained a court order that requested Nazeer’s company in India to send them his company’s laptop so that they could gather DNA evidence. “Ultimately, a DNA contributor was able to be obtained from the laptop, which matched the DNA from the unknown blood droplet from the crime scene,” Lt. Brian Cunningham with the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office said.“Our message is clear. We did not forget,” Burlington County Prosecutor LaChia Bradshaw said. “We did not forgive, and we will not stop pursuing those who take innocent lives in this county. Justice must and will prevail.”
What was the motive behind the brutal murder?
Investigators said they don’t have a motive for the murders. But Sasikala’s husband was being followed by Hameed for a significant amount of time, they have established. They believe Hameed might have some vendetta against him.
