Mother of Harshita Brella Seeks Justice After Daughter’s Murder

Sudesh Kumari, the mother of Harshita Brella, whose body was discovered in a car boot in east London following what police describe as her murder, conveyed to the BBC: “I just want justice for my daughter”. Speaking tearfully from the family residence in Delhi, Ms Brella’s mother, Sudesh Kumari, shared her sentiments with the BBC. According to her sister, Sonia Dabas, Ms Brella had been “very excited” about relocating to the UK in April following her arranged marriage to Pankaj Lamba. Northamptonshire Police suspect that Mr Lamba murdered the 24-year-old Ms Brella, subsequently transporting her body by car to Ilford, east London, before leaving the country. Satbir Brella, Ms Brella’s father, stated: “I want my son-in-law to be brought to justice and I want my daughter’s body brought home.” Mr Brella characterized his daughter as a straightforward and earnest young woman. He mentioned her aspiration to become a teacher, dedicating her days to tutoring children at their Delhi home before focusing on her personal studies. Her sister described their relationship as “inseparable.” She recounted, “She was a part of me and I was a part of her,” adding, “I now feel like I can’t do anything in life without her.” She further elaborated, “We used to chat all day. She had saved my name as ‘heartbeat’ on her phone. You can now understand what bond we shared.” The family reported their last phone conversation with Ms Brella occurred on 10 November. Her sister stated that Ms Brella had informed them she had prepared dinner and was awaiting Mr Lamba’s return home. Ms Dabas explained that her sister’s phone was switched off for the subsequent two days, and by 13 November, the family “thought something was wrong,” prompting them to ask acquaintances to lodge a complaint. Northamptonshire Police confirmed they received a welfare concern report on Wednesday, which subsequently led to the discovery of Ms Brella’s body and the initiation of a murder investigation. Ms Dabas elaborated that her sister and Mr Lamba had an arranged marriage, with their legal wedding taking place in August 2023. The couple then held their traditional Indian ceremony on 22 March of this year, departing for the UK around 30 April and establishing residence in Corby, Northamptonshire. She noted that Mr Lamba was a student in London, while her sister was employed in a warehouse. Ms Dabas mentioned that her sister had aspired to be a teacher in India and demonstrated rapid progress, accomplishing tasks in two months that typically required years for others. However, Ms Dabas stated that Ms Brella “didn’t live a very happy life in London,” adding, “She struggled a lot because of her husband.” Ms Dabas recounted advising her sister to “quit and come to India,” urging her to return to them. She expressed, “We would have just taken her away from that person.” She recalled that her sister had previously enjoyed travelling, and upon her sister’s move to the UK, she had inquired why she was not taking and posting photos on Instagram. Her sister later clarified that she was prohibited from doing so. Ms Dabas stated, “There were restrictions on everything.” She detailed how her sister had informed her that she was not permitted to wear make-up or wear “nice clothes.” Ms Brella’s father reported that her husband had complained to him about her not preparing food “on time” and about her “talking too much to her mother.” According to her sister, Ms Brella telephoned her father in India at the end of August to say she had fled. Ms Dabas stated, “She said he was hitting her and she escaped. She ran out on the streets, he chased after her and hit her there as well.” She added, “There was a local who saw this and asked what happened which is why he left her. Harshita called someone she knew who came to pick her up.” A domestic violence protection order was issued for her in early September, remaining in effect for 28 days. Police have since verified that this order was active prior to Ms Brella’s death. The police force indicated that a mandatory referral had been made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct due to prior interactions with Ms Brella. Her father informed the BBC that the family’s hope is for her body to be repatriated to India, so “her soul can get peace and then maybe we will too.”