TOI Correspondent from London: An international manhunt has been launched for an Indian-origin man accused of murdering his Indian wife and leaving her dead body inside the boot of a car in London before fleeing Britain.
On Sunday night Northamptonshire police named Pankaj Lamba (23) as the prime suspect in the murder of his 24-year-old wife, Harshita Brella.
The couple were married at a Hindu ceremony in Delhi a few months ago and Brella then moved to the UK to start a new life with her husband.
The “Daily Mail” published on Monday a video of their wedding ceremony in Delhi showing Brella wearing a stunning red wedding lehenga decked in jewellery, beaming with happiness.
She had been living in Corby, Northamptonshire, when her body was discovered inside the boot of a car in Ilford, East London, in the early hours of Nov 14. A murder investigation was then launched.
In a statement on Sunday, Northamptonshire police said: “Our inquiries lead us to suspect that Harshita was murdered in Northamptonshire earlier this month by her husband Pankaj Lamba. We suspect Lamba transported Harshita’s body from Northamptonshire to Ilford by car. We believe he has now fled the country.”
More than 60 detectives are working on the case which has now become an international manhunt.
It has emerged that the couple were separated and had been living in separate houses in Corby, five minutes from each other.
Brella had been made the subject of a domestic violence order on Sept 3 seeking to protect her from Lamba. The 28-day order was made at Northampton magistrates’ court and served by Northamptonshire police. It prevented Lamba from molesting her, threatening violence, or intimidating, harassing or pestering her, and he was not allowed to enter her workplace.
Northamptonshire police has made a mandatory referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct due to previous contact between the force and the victim.
Neighbours said they had heard shouting, banging and furniture being thrown on Wednesday at the house of multiple occupation where Brella lived, and that “a woman sounded scared”.
Police visited Brella’s residence on Wednesday after concerns were raised. When she was not found, police made inquiries which led to the discovery of her body inside the boot of an abandoned car near a park 150km away.
A forensic post-mortem examination established that Brella was murdered.
