Harshita Brella, the 24-year-old Indian woman who was found dead in a vehicle in east London, in the early hours of Thursday, November 14, was strangled, as per law enforcement officials. A forensic postmortem examination carried out at Leicester Royal Infirmary on Friday, November 15, gave the preliminary cause of death as strangulation.
Her husband, 23-year-old Pankaj Lamba of Sturton Walk, Corby, has been named the prime suspect by Northamptonshire Police. As per the department, detectives suspect that Harshita was murdered in Corby on the evening of Sunday, November 10.
“They (detectives) suspect Lamba then transported Harshita’s body from Corby to Ilford by car. The car was left parked in Brisbane Road, Ilford, and detectives believe Lamba then fled the country,” an official statement from the police department said.
Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Chief Inspector Johnny Campbell from the East Midlands Special Operations Major Crime Unit (EMSOU), said: “We are working closely with policing colleagues and our partners in the CPS, and in order to secure justice for Harshita, there are certain aspects of this investigation we are unable to comment on.
“While I appreciate there is a lot of speculation in the media, we would ask people to think carefully about the obligations we have to bring justice by maintaining the integrity of the investigation. However, the investigation continues at pace and we are following numerous lines of inquiry.
“Our inquiries have established that Pankaj Lamba drove a Silver Vauxhall Corsa from Corby to Ilford sometime on the morning of Monday, November 11. We suspect Harshita’s body had been placed in the boot of the vehicle by Lamba before leaving Corby. Lamba then abandoned the vehicle in Brisbane Road, Ilford and made his getaway.”
“We are continuing to appeal for information and I would urge anyone who may have seen anything suspicious or had any sightings of Pankaj Lamba in Corby, Ilford or elsewhere in the days leading up to the discovery of Harshita’s body, to contact police as soon as possible.
“Any information, no matter how small, may be relevant to the investigation and help us get justice for Harshita.
“Specialist officers continue to provide support to Harshita’s family and our thoughts are with them at this extremely difficult time as they try come to terms with the tragic loss of their daughter and sister.”
As per reports, Harshita, who was born in Delhi, moved to the United Kingdom in April 2024. She got married to 23-year-old Pankaj in August 2023. The accused was a student in London. Earlier this year, Harshita was granted a domestic violence protection order (DVPO) against Pankaj following incidents of abuse. The victim had also run away from her home to evade her husband’s torture in August this year, as per Harshita’s father Satbir Brella.
Speaking to the BBC, Satbir demanded justice for her daughter. “I want my son-in-law to be brought to justice and I want my daughter’s body brought home,” he said.
