Detectives investigating the tragic death of 24-year-old Harshita Brella from Corby have named her husband, Pankaj Lamba, as the prime suspect in her murder. Harshita’s body was discovered in the boot of a car in Ilford, east London, on the morning of Thursday, 14 November, after a missing person inquiry led police to the grim finding.
The investigation began on Wednesday, 13 November, when Northamptonshire Police received a call expressing concerns for Harshita’s welfare. Officers visited her home on Skegness Walk in Corby but found no response, prompting a missing person investigation. Fast-track inquiries quickly traced a vehicle in Brisbane Road, Ilford, where Harshita’s body was found.
A forensic postmortem conducted at Leicester Royal Infirmary on Friday, 15 November, confirmed Harshita had been murdered. Investigators believe she was killed in Northamptonshire earlier in November before her body was transported to London by her husband, who has since fled the country. An image of Pankaj Lamba has been released as part of the appeal to locate him.
Detective Chief Inspector Johnny Campbell of the East Midlands Special Operations Major Crime Unit (EMSOU) expressed condolences to Harshita’s loved ones, stating: “She was a young woman with her whole life ahead of her. It is tragic that her life has been cut short in this way. We are determined to establish exactly what happened and bring the person responsible to justice.”
Over 60 detectives from Northamptonshire Police, EMSOU, and the Metropolitan Police are working tirelessly on the case. Investigative efforts include property searches, CCTV reviews, ANPR tracking, and house-to-house inquiries to piece together the events leading up to Harshita’s death.
DCI Campbell emphasized that although the attack is believed to have been committed by someone known to Harshita, the police are keeping an open mind and continue to appeal for information from the public.
“If you saw anything suspicious in the past week or have any information, no matter how small, please contact us. Your help could be crucial to our investigation,” he added.
The incident has left the Corby community in shock. To reassure residents, neighbourhood officers are conducting additional patrols in the area. Anyone with concerns is encouraged to speak to these officers.
This devastating case has united efforts across law enforcement agencies to seek justice for Harshita and bring clarity to her untimely death.
Anyone who has any information that could help detectives bring Harshita’s killer to justice, is asked to call police on 101 quoting incident number 24000678713.
Alternatively information can be submitted via an online portal: Public Portal (mipp.police.uk) or by calling Crimestoppers, in confidence, on 0800 555111.
