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A year has passed since Harshita Brella was found strangled in the UK, and a palpable sense of grief and disbelief persists at her family home in Delhi, India.
“Why hasn’t her killer been apprehended? Neither the UK nor the Indian government seems to be taking sufficient action,” laments Harshita’s mother, Sudesh Kumari, her voice choked with sobs. “I demand justice for my daughter. Only then can I find peace.”
Harshita’s body was discovered in the trunk of a car in Ilford, East London, on November 14, 2024, a day after her family alerted UK police, reporting her missing since November 10.
Authorities suspect that Harshita, 24, was murdered on that day in Corby, Northamptonshire, allegedly by her husband, Pankaj Lamba. He reportedly fled to India shortly after the incident and remains at large.
The couple, both Indian nationals, had relocated from Delhi to the UK earlier in the year, settling in Corby.
In March, Northamptonshire Police formally charged Lamba with murder, in addition to counts of rape, sexual assault, and controlling or coercive behavior.
Harshita’s sister, Sonia Dabas, has expressed frustration with the perceived slow pace of the investigation.
“We are deeply disappointed with the UK police’s handling of the case. It seems that because we are not UK citizens, our case is not being treated with the seriousness it deserves. This sends a message that foreign nationals are not safe in the UK,” she stated to the BBC.
Approximately two months prior to her death, on September 3, Harshita had filed a domestic abuse complaint against her husband. He was arrested but subsequently released on bail with the condition that he refrain from harassing, pestering, or intimidating her.
The Domestic Violence Protection Order (DVPO) expired four weeks later, on October 1.
Sonia accuses Northamptonshire Police of negligence in their follow-up of the domestic abuse case. “Pankaj realized that the UK police weren’t taking the case seriously and believed he could get away with murder,” she contends.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is currently investigating four Northamptonshire Police officers concerning their handling of Harshita’s domestic abuse report and their interactions with her.
The IOPC informed the BBC that their investigation is complete and the findings have been shared with Northamptonshire Police, who have until mid-November to respond.
Northamptonshire Police stated: “This is an exceptionally complex case, and with criminal proceedings now active in the UK, we are unable to provide detailed information about the investigation. However, we can confirm that the Indian authorities have been informed of the charging decision through the appropriate channels.”
The Indian government has stated to the BBC that they are in communication with the UK government regarding the matter. However, neither government has definitively confirmed whether an extradition request for Pankaj Lamba has been formally submitted to the Indian authorities.
Harshita’s family further alleges that Pankaj Lamba is currently in India and is being protected by elements within the Indian police force.
“He has relatives who are policemen. He was seen on CCTV footage withdrawing money from a bank in March. How can he not have been found? It’s due to corruption,” Sonia asserts. The family also claims to have information indicating that Pankaj was operating a shop in Gurgaon, near their residence, in the early months of this year.
“They [the Delhi Police] are simply wasting time,” Sonia claims.
The Delhi Police have not responded to Sonia’s accusations. They informed the BBC that they have acted on 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 subsequently released on bail.
The Delhi Police also stated that they issued public notices earlier this year offering a reward for information regarding Mr. Lamba’s whereabouts, and that the search for him is ongoing.
Pankaj Lamba’s family home is located in the village of Dharauli, approximately 40 miles (65km) north of Delhi, and not far from Gurgaon, where Ms. Brella’s family believes he was seen in March. His parents, Sudesh and Darshan Lamba, declined to be interviewed during the BBC’s visit.
However, they refuted all charges against them and their son, claiming they have had no contact with him since November 10, 2024 – the last day Harshita’s family heard from her.
For Harshita’s father, Satbir Singh Brella, each day is consumed by visits to police stations and courts.
“My daughter was so straightforward and kind-hearted. A truly terrible thing happened to her,” he says.
Her mother points to the shoes she is wearing, explaining that they belonged to Harshita and were among her possessions returned to the family by British officials who visited them in July.
“They are a little tight, but I feel close to her when I wear them,” says Sudesh Kumari. “Sometimes I feel she’s still in the UK; I cannot believe she is gone.”
Additional reporting: Aakriti Thapar, Adnan Bhat, Sanjay Ganguly
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