Harshita Brella Death Case: UK Police Suspect Husband Strangulated Her To Death

An Indian-origin woman identified as Harshita Brella, 24, was found dead inside the trunk of a car in East London on November 14. A post-mortem report at Leicester Royal Infirmary confirmed that she had been strangulated to death. Nottinghamshire Police named the prime suspect as her husband Pankaj Lamba, who remains at large. Investigators said that Brella was strangulated to death around November 10.

Notably, on November 13, police received a call from an undisclosed source raising concerns for Brella's welfare. Officers called round at her home in Corby but reportedly received no answer at the door. A missing persons investigation was opened before her body was found about 96 miles away on Brisbane Road in Ilford.

Neighbours Say They Heard Commotion Days Before She Was Found Dead

More than 60 detectives are said to be working on the case and are following up on numerous lines of inquiry, including property searches. According to police, they have had previous contact with Brella and made a mandatory self-referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

Police reportedly revealed that Brella was a survivor of domestic violence and was made the subject of a Domestic Violence Protection Order (DVPO) at Northampton Magistrates Court two months before her death. The order, which lasted only 28 days banned the perpetrator (unnamed) from visiting her workplace.

A neighbour also told The Mirror that they heard a loud argument between a man and woman in Brella's residence days before she was found dead. "They were arguing in a different language so I couldn’t understand what was being said. But it sounded angry and the woman sounded scared."

The neighbour said that Brella had been living in an HMO (house of multiple occupations) with many residents. She added people "come and go" from the property. "Someone took off quickly. I had heard banging coming from the house and then they obviously just legged it," they added.

Police Statement

Chief Inspector Paul Cash said in a statement that an international manhunt has been launched to look for Pankaj Lamba, who has fled the country. "We suspect Lamba transported Harshita’s body from Northamptonshire to Ilford by car. We believe he has now fled the country," he said.

Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Chief Inspector Johnny Campbell from the East Midlands Special Operations Major Crime Unit, said, "...Detectives are working around the clock to establish the circumstances behind her death, including the exact location and timeframe in which it took place."

Victim's Family Demands Justice

Brella's distraught family in Delhi spoke to BBC. Her mother, Sudesh Kumari expressed, "I just want justice for my daughter." Her father, Satbir Brella said, "I want my son-in-law to be brought to justice and I want my daughter's body brought home." Brella and Lamba had an arranged marriage in August 2023.

The victim's sister, Sonia Dabas said that Lamba was a student in the UK, where Brella moved to in April 2024. and started working in a warehouse. Her family in India last spoke to her on November 10. Dabas added that they were concerned after her sister's phone was off for the next two days. 

The family "thought something was wrong" and asked people they knew to file a complaint with the Northamptonshire Police. Dabas expressed, "She was a part of me and I was a part of her. She had saved my name as 'heartbeat' on her phone. I feel I can't do anything in life without her."