The mother of a woman who police say was murdered before her body was left in a car boot in east London has told the BBC: “I just want justice for my daughter.”
Harshita Brella’s mother, Sudesh Kumari, tearfully spoke to the BBC from the family home in Delhi.
Ms Brella’s father, Satbir Brella, added: “I want my son-in-law brought to justice and I want my daughter’s body brought home.”
Ms Brella was “very excited” to move to Britain in April after an arranged marriage to Pankaj Lamba, her sister Sonia Dabas said.
Northamptonshire Police believe Lamba murdered Ms Brella and then fled the country after taking the 24-year-old’s body by car 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 eager to learn. He said she wanted to become a teacher and would spend her days tutoring children at their home in Delhi before focusing on her own studies.
The family said she last spoke to Ms Brella by phone on November 10.
She told them she had prepared dinner and was waiting for Mr. Lamba to come home, her sister said.
Ms Dabas said her sister’s phone was switched off for the next two days and that on November 13 they “thought something was wrong” and asked people they knew to make a complaint.
Northamptonshire Police said on Wednesday she had been contacted about concerns for her welfare – leading to the discovery of her body and the launch of a murder investigation.
Ms Dabas explained that her sister and Mr Lamba had entered into an arranged marriage, with a legal wedding in August 2023. The couple then had their traditional Indian ceremony on March 22 this year before leaving for Britain around April 30.
Mr. Lamba was a student in London, she said, and her sister had worked in a warehouse.
Ms Dabas said her sister “didn’t live a very happy life in London”.
“She had a lot of trouble because of her husband,” she said.
In late August, Ms. Brella called her father in India to say she had run away, her sister said.
“She said he hit her and she got away. She ran into the street and he chased her and hit her there too,” Ms Dabas said.
“There was a local 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 she was the subject of a domestic abuse protection order, saying this was issued in early September and lasted 28 days.
Police have since confirmed the order was in place before Ms Brella’s death.
The force said it had made a mandatory referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct because there had been previous contact with Ms Brella.
