Family Demands Justice One Year After Harshita Brella's Murder Remains Unsolved

Mon Nov 10 2025 03:10:28 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Harshita Brella's family is distraught and demanding answers one year after her brutal murder in the UK. With the suspect still at large and frustrations mounting over the investigation, her loved ones seek justice.

One year has passed since 24-year-old Harshita Brella was discovered murdered in a car in London. Her family in Delhi is pleading for justice as the prime suspect, her husband Pankaj Lamba, remains fugitivfe in India. Despite arrest warrants and charges, including murder and domestic abuse, Lamba's whereabouts are still unknown. The family expresses frustration with law enforcement in both countries and calls for urgent action.

One year since Harshita Brella was strangled to death in the UK, there is a sense of disbelief in her family home in the Indian capital Delhi.

Why has her killer not been caught yet? Neither the UK government nor the Indian government are doing anything, Harshita's mother Sudesh Kumari says, sobbing into her scarf. I want justice for my daughter. Only then will I find peace.

Harshita's body was found in the boot of a car in Ilford, east London, on 14 November 2024, a day after her family contacted UK police to say they had not heard from her since 10 November.

Police believe Harshita, 24, was murdered on that day in Corby, Northamptonshire, by her husband Pankaj Lamba, who fled to India soon after the killing and is still on the run.

The couple, both Indian nationals, had moved from Delhi to the UK, settling in Corby, earlier that year.

In March this year, police in Northamptonshire charged him with murder. He also faces charges of rape, sexual assault and controlling or coercive behaviour.

Harshita's sister Sonia Dabas is frustrated with the pace of investigations.

We are very disappointed with the UK police. Maybe because we are not citizens of the UK, that's why they are not serious about this case. They are sending out a message that foreign nationals are not safe in the UK, she told the BBC.

Roughly two months before Harshita was killed, on 3 September, she had filed a case of domestic abuse against her husband. He was arrested and later released on bail on condition that he did not harass, pester or intimidate Harshita.

The Domestic Violence Protection Order (DVPO) expired four weeks later, on 1 October.

Sonia accuses Northamptonshire Police of being negligent in following up on the domestic abuse case. That's when Pankaj figured out that the UK police are not really serious about this case and he felt he could get away with murder, she says.

Four officers of the Northamptonshire Police are being investigated over their handling of Harshita's domestic abuse report and their interaction with her, by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

The IOPC told the BBC this week that their investigation was complete and had been shared with Northamptonshire Police. Northamptonshire Police say they have been given until mid-November to respond to the IOPC's findings.

Harshita's family also told the BBC that they believe Pankaj Lamba is in India, being shielded by Indian police. He has relatives who are policemen. In March this year, he was seen on CCTV footage withdrawing money from a bank. Then how come he's not been found yet? This is all because of corruption, says Sonia.

The Delhi Police did not respond to Sonia's accusations. They told the BBC that they have acted on the basis of a dowry complaint filed by Harshita's parents against Mr Lamba and members of his family, including his parents and sister, who were arrested and are now out on bail.

Pankaj Lamba's family home is in the village of Dharauli, about 40 miles (65km) north of Delhi, and not far from Gurgaon where Ms Brella's family believe he was sighted in March. His parents Sudesh and Darshan Lamba didn't want to be interviewed when the BBC visited.

For Harshita's father, Satbir Singh Brella, the days are filled with visits to police stations and courts. My daughter was so straightforward, and kind-hearted. A really terrible thing happened to her, he says.

Harshita's mother holds onto her daughter's belongings, reflecting on the unending pain of her loss. Sometimes I feel she's still in the UK, I cannot believe she is gone.