Highlights
- Harshita Brella, 24, reported domestic abuse to Northamptonshire Police in August 2024.
- She was found dead in the boot of a car in east London just over two months later.
- Her husband, Pankaj Lamba, is wanted over murder and other charges and is believed to be in India.
- Four police officers face misconduct proceedings over the handling of the domestic abuse investigation.
THE family of Harshita Brella has renewed its campaign for justice, two years after the 24-year-old reported domestic abuse to Northamptonshire Police and later died.
The Justice4Harshita campaign has called for stronger cooperation between authorities in the UK and India to locate her husband, Pankaj Lamba, and bring him before a court.
Brella contacted Northamptonshire Police on August 29, 2024, to report domestic abuse by Lamba. He was arrested on September 3, and later released on police bail with conditions not to contact Brella. A Domestic Violence Protection Order was also issued.
Brella was found dead just over two months later, on November 14, when her body was discovered in the boot of a car in Ilford, east London.
Northamptonshire Police believe she was murdered in Corby on November 10 and that her body was then taken to London before Lamba left the UK.
In March 2025, the Crown Prosecution Service authorised charges against Lamba of murder, two counts of rape, sexual assault, and controlling or coercive behaviour. The charges remain allegations and have not been tested in court.
Lamba is believed to have fled to India and remains wanted in connection with the investigation.
Family need answers
Brella's sister, Sonia Dabas, and other family members are now using the Justice4Harshita campaign to keep the case in the public eye and press for progress in the investigation.
The family said closer cooperation between UK and Indian authorities is important to locating Lamba and ensuring he faces the charges against him.
The campaign will also seek public support for the family's continuing efforts to pursue the case. Supporters are being asked to follow and share the campaign's new social-media accounts and contribute to its fundraising appeal.
Donations will help cover flights, accommodation and other expenses when family members return to the UK to pursue the case and meet relevant authorities.
A spokesperson for Northamptonshire Rights & Equality Council, which is supporting the family, said Brella had asked police for help after experiencing domestic abuse.
“Two years ago, Harshita did what we would hope anyone experiencing domestic abuse would do: she asked the police for help,” the spokesperson said.
“She trusted that by coming forward, she would receive protection and support.”
The spokesperson said her family was “still asking questions about what happened and are still fighting for justice”.
“Harshita was a daughter, a sister and a young woman who came to Britain hoping to build a future. She should still be here today,” the spokesperson said.
“We cannot allow Harshita to be forgotten.”
Questions over police response
The renewed campaign comes as questions continue over the police response to Brella's original report.
Following an investigation, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) announced in November last year that four Northamptonshire Police officers should face misconduct proceedings over their handling of the domestic abuse investigation.
Two detective constables were found to have a case to answer for gross misconduct. The concerns included whether the investigation had been appropriately reviewed, whether necessary investigative actions had been set, whether supervisory advice had been sought and whether Brella had been kept sufficiently informed.
The IOPC has stressed that an independent police disciplinary panel will determine whether any of the allegations are proven.
