Harshita Brella Died by Strangulation; Husband Suspected of Murder and Flight

The death of Harshita Brella, 24, of Corby, Northamptonshire, has been attributed to strangulation, according to a post-mortem examination. Police suspect her husband, Pankaj Lamba, of murdering her before transporting her body to Ilford, east London, and abandoning it in a vehicle. Investigators estimate her death occurred on the evening of November 10, four days prior to the discovery of her body. Mr. Lamba, 23, identified as the primary suspect, is believed to have departed the country, and his current location remains undisclosed. On November 13, officers conducted a welfare check at Ms. Brella’s residence on Skegness Walk in Corby. Her absence prompted the initiation of a missing person investigation, which subsequently led to the discovery of her body in the boot of a car on Brisbane Road, Ilford. Following the discovery of Ms. Brella’s body, Northamptonshire Police have issued new CCTV footage as part of their ongoing inquiry. These images feature a silver Vauxhall Corsa, which authorities believe Mr. Lamba utilized to transport her body to Ilford on the morning of November 11. Detective Chief Inspector Johnny Campbell, from the East Midlands Special Operations Major Crime Unit, stated: “We suspect Harshita’s body had been placed in the boot of the vehicle by Lamba before leaving Corby.” He added, “Lamba then abandoned the vehicle in Brisbane Road, Ilford, and made his getaway.” A police spokesperson verified that Ms. Brella had previously experienced domestic violence and was granted a Domestic Violence Protection Order (DVPO) by Northampton Magistrates’ Court in September. Due to prior interactions with Ms. Brella, Northamptonshire Police has self-referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). Sonia Dabas, Ms. Brella’s sister, reported that the family “thought something was wrong” by November 13, as her phone had been inactive for two days. A neighbor recounted hearing two intense arguments, one of which involved a woman who “sounded scared,” in the days preceding the discovery of Ms. Brella’s body. During an interview with the BBC, Ms. Brella’s father, Satbir Brella, stated: “I want my son-in-law to be brought to justice and I want my daughter’s body brought home.” Det Ch Insp Campbell further appealed: “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.” He emphasized, “Any information, no matter how small, may be relevant to the investigation and help us get justice for Harshita.” An inquest into Ms. Brella’s death is scheduled to commence at 09:45 BST on Wednesday in Northampton. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding their approach to external linking is available.