Harshita Brella’s Husband ‘Re-entered Her Life’

The sister of Harshita Brella, whose remains were discovered in a vehicle’s boot, has stated that her husband managed to re-enter her life after his arrest for domestic abuse. Authorities suspect the 24-year-old was strangled in Corby on the evening of November 10. Her body was then reportedly transported to Ilford, east London, where it was located in the boot of a silver Vauxhall Corsa on November 14. Her husband, Pankaj Lamba, 23, has been identified as the primary suspect in the police’s murder investigation. Ms. Brella’s sister, Sonia Dabas, informed The Sunday Times that Mr. Lamba had been taken into custody in September, and a domestic violence protection order was issued. However, he reportedly persuaded his wife to withdraw her complaint. Ms. Dabas mentioned that Ms. Brella, who originated from Delhi, secured employment at a packing factory near Corby, Northamptonshire, following her arranged marriage to Mr. Lamba earlier this year. She stated that Mr. Lamba physically assaulted her sister and restricted her access to money. Ms. Dabas said: “The controlling was really bad towards the end. He even told her not to work anymore.” Ms. Brella initially kept silent about the alleged abuse but eventually disclosed it to her family during a telephone call with Ms. Dabas on August 28, subsequently deciding to contact the police, as reported by The Sunday Times. Her sister told the publication: “The run-up to it was beatings by Pankaj over nothing.”She went to the police because he had beaten her.” Mr. Lamba was arrested by Northamptonshire Police officers on September 3 but was released on conditional bail, and a domestic violence protection order was established, according to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). Mr. Lamba was prohibited from contacting her, but one day, while Ms. Brella was in a refuge, she received a phone call from India from one of his relatives, who then added him to the call, her family reported. Ms. Dabas said: “They both began badgering her and bullying her to withdraw the case against Pankaj.”So she went to the police to withdraw it and found a rented room to stay [in].” The Sunday Times documented that Mr. Lamba gradually began to re-establish himself in Ms. Brella’s life. The IOPC announced it would investigate Northamptonshire Police’s interactions with Ms. Brella, while an international search for Mr. Lamba is currently in progress. Ms. Dabas added: “I am sure Pankaj is in India but we can’t do anything to get the police on to him.”India is a very safe place for him. It’s easy to go missing in India.” Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.