Was Harshita Brella murdered by Husband over Dowry?

The investigation into the murder of Harshita Brella continues as police look for her husband Pankaj Lamba.

Harshita’s body was found in the boot of a car in Ilford on November 14, 2024, approximately 100 miles from her home in Corby.

Police suspect the 24-year-old was murdered on November 10. That night, CCTV showed her walking with her husband by a boating lake in Corby.

It is alleged that Lamba killed his wife and then transported her body to Ilford.

Lamba has not been seen since and while police are working to find out the motive, Harshita’s family believe it was dowry-related.

Elder sister Sonia Brella said Harshita was murdered for dowry even though gold and money were given to the Lamba family.

She said: “The family had given a lot of dowry to Pankaj but still he was not happy, he kept demanding dowry from us.”

Father Sabir Brella also claimed that Lamba and his family used to harass his daughter for dowry.

He alleged: “Pankaj used to beat her and force her to get money. Due to the regular fights, she started living separately and working in a warehouse.

“Despite living separately, he would handle her bank accounts.”

But Harshita kept giving money to her husband “with a hope that someday things will become normal”.

Sabir Brella added: “She didn’t know that this would be the end.”

Sonia continued: “On August 29, when Pankaj had beaten her she lodged a complaint against him.

“Subsequently, his family members had come to our house here and again started demanding dowry, due to which my father sold some property to fulfil their demand and by February we were able to fulfil the demand.

“We were about to fulfil their demands after we got the money in hand.”

Harshita Brella was the subject of a 28-day domestic violence order against Lamba, which had not been renewed at the time of her killing.

Her sister claimed: “She used to give us every moment’s information.

“This case was closed on October 30 when Pankaj paid the fine, but Harshita was not informed about it.”

Recalling her last video call with Harshita, Sonia said:

“We had the last video call with Harshita on November 10 when she told us that she was preparing food for Pankaj who was coming over for dinner.”

“From the next day, her phone was not reachable. We had a feeling that Pankaj had killed her by then.”

The family has claimed that Pankaj Lamba fled to India a day after Harshita’s murder.

Sonia said: “We have proof of him coming back to India, which we have told to London police. Here no one is helping us.

“We have also approached our local police and filed a complaint of dowry harassment against Pankaj and his parents.”

She also claimed that Lamba’s family is aware of the murder and knows of his whereabouts.

Sonia added: “When I called Pankaj’s mother about the news, she coolly replied that at least my sister was returning back.

“She said her son’s whereabouts are not known. But, on the other hand, they are not even trying to find his whereabouts and are calm. This behaviour raises suspicions.”

An inquest into Harshita Brella’s death was opened and the provisional cause was “manual strangulation pending toxicology and histology”.

It has been adjourned until May 2025.

Meanwhile, the murder investigation continues.