UK Police Hunt for Murder Suspect Pankaj Lamba in India: The Tragic Case of Harshita Brella

Harshita Brella married Pankaj Lamba who has been missing since her murder.

UK police have traveled to India in their ongoing search for Pankaj Lamba, who stands accused of murdering his wife, Harshita Brella, in the UK last year. According to reports, Lamba was observed operating a shop in Delhi earlier this year.

Brella, 24, was discovered strangled and concealed in a car boot in Ilford, East London, on November 14, 2024. Investigators believe the murder occurred days earlier on November 10 in Corby, Northamptonshire. Lamba escaped to India shortly after the crime and remains at large.

The couple, both Delhi natives, had relocated to the UK earlier that same year.

In March, Northamptonshire Police charged Lamba with murder, rape, sexual assault, and forceful behavior, according to the BBC. Detectives visited India in July to meet with Harshita Brella's family and return her belongings.

ITV News reported that Lamba was operating a snack and vegetable store near Delhi, close to his childhood home. He reportedly kept his face covered and was frequently seen with a woman and a young child. His former teacher, Sunil Saini, last saw Lamba in April when the store suddenly closed.

"He contacted me again in February or March. Before leaving town, he came to meet me and mentioned that he had some items from a restaurant," Saini recounted. "He said, 'If you're planning to open a restaurant, you can use them or if not, you can try to sell them.' This conversation took place around the 10th or 11th of April this year."

The shop has since been converted into an egg store, with locals believing Lamba fled when police began closing in.

"Why has her killer not been caught yet?" Brella's mother, Sudesh Kumari, asked in a BBC interview. "Neither the UK government nor the Indian government are doing anything. I want justice for my daughter. Only then will I find peace."

Her sister Sonia Dabas expressed that the family feels neglected by both governments.

"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."

Weeks before her murder, Harshita Brella had reported domestic abuse by her husband. Police arrested Lamba but released him on bail with restrictions that expired a month before her death. "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," Dabas stated.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is investigating four Northamptonshire Police officers regarding their handling of Brella's abuse complaint. The IOPC has completed its report and shared it with the force, which must respond by mid-November.