‘I want justice for my daughter,’ said the family of murder victim Harshita Brella
The mother of a woman who police say was killed before her body was left in the boot of a car in east London told the BBC: “I just want justice for my daughter”.
Harshita Brella’s mother, Sudesh Kumari, spoke tearfully to the BBC from the family home in Delhi.
Ms Brella’s father, Satbir Brella, added: “I want my son-in-law to face the law and I want my daughter’s body brought home.”
Ms Brella was “overjoyed” to move to the UK in April after her arranged marriage to Pankaj Lamba, her sister Sonia Dabas said.
Northamptonshire police believe Mr Lamba killed Ms Brella and fled the country after driving the 24-year-old’s body to Ilford, east London.
Harshita Brella’s mother Sudesh Kumari (left) and sister Sonia Dabas (right) [BBC]
Her father described his daughter as simple and likes to learn. He said he wanted to become a teacher and would spend his days teaching children at their home in Delhi, before turning his attention to his studies.
The family said they last spoke to Ms. Brella by phone on November 10.
He told them he had made dinner and was waiting for Mr Lamba to come home, his sister said.
Ms. Dabas said her sister’s phone was switched off for the next two days and on November 13 “they thought something was wrong” and asked people they knew to file a complaint.
Northamptonshire Police said they were contacted on Wednesday about concerns for his welfare – which led to the discovery of his body and the launch of a homicide investigation.
Ms Dabas explained that her sister and Mr Lamba entered into an arranged marriage, with the official wedding taking place in August 2023. The couple then had their traditional Indian ceremony on the 22nd of March this year before heading to the UK around the 30th of April.
Mr Lamba was a student in London, he said, while his sister worked in a shop.
Ms Dabas said her sister “didn’t have a very good life in London”.
“She struggled a lot because of her husband,” she said.
At the end of August, Ms. Brella called her father in India to tell him that she had run away, her sister said.
“He said he was going to hit him and he escaped, he ran out of the street, he chased him and hit him there too,” said Ms. Dabas.
“There was someone there who saw this and asked what happened and that’s why he left her. Harshita called someone she knew who came to pick her up”.
The Northamptonshire Telegraph reported that he was under a domestic violence protection order, which it said was made in early September and lasted for 28 days.
The police have confirmed that this order was in place before Ms Brella’s death.
The force said it has transferred the responsibility to the independent office of police conduct because Ms. Brella has been contacted before.
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