Indian origin Woman's body found in Car boot, Police launch manhunt for husband
By : DC Web Desk
Update: 2024-11-20 12:49 GMT
A manhunt has been launched by British police for an Indian-origin man, who is being suspected of murdering his 24-year-old wife in London.
In a prompt investigation last week, the body of the wife, Harshita Brella was discovered in the car boot in Ilford, East London.
As per authorities, her husband, Pankaj Lamba, is behind the "targeted incident."
They even urged people to come forward with any information.
Police have identified Pankaj Lamba, a resident of Corby, as the main suspect in Harshita Brella's murder. Authorities believe Lamba transported her body from Northamptonshire to Ilford before fleeing the country. Chief Inspector Paul Cash disclosed that a team of 60 detectives is dedicated to solving the case.
The investigation involves door-to-door inquiries, thorough property searches, CCTV footage analysis, as well as data from the automatic number plate recognition systems.
We are, of course, continuing to appeal for any information that will help us piece together exactly what happened as we work to get justice for Harshita,” Inspector Paul said.
The investigation started on Wednesday following the Northamptonshire Police were alerted about Brella’s safety.
There was no response when the officers reached the Corby's residence.
The search for her immediately turned into a missing case, which led to the discovery of her body in the boot of a car on Brisbane Road, early Thursday.
A neighbor of 24-year-old Harshita Brella recalled hearing two heated arguments, days before her body was found. Kelly Philp, who lives next door, reported overhearing a loud confrontation between a man and a woman on Wednesday. "The argument was in a language I couldn’t understand, but it was very heated, with raised voices," the 41-year-old told the Daily Mirror.
"The woman’s voice sounded scared," Philip added.
She explained, "I heard a commotion between a man and a woman, and I heard banging around. I didn’t call the police; I just thought it was a relationship argument."
The neighbor from Corby also recalled hearing an argument between two men soon afterward, followed by 'a back gate slamming shut.'
A police spokesperson previously stated that Harshita Brella was a known victim of domestic violence. In early September, she was granted protection under a Domestic Violence Protection Order (DVPO) issued by Northampton Magistrates' Court.
A post-mortem was conducted at Leicester Royal Infirmary on Friday, according to the reports.
A senior investigating officer Johnny Campbell, said, "The police were working around the clock to establish the circumstances behind her death, including the exact location and timeframe in which it took place."
"She was a young woman in her early 20s with her whole life ahead of her and it is absolutely tragic that her life has been cut short in this way," he added.