Harshita Brella believed to have been strangled by husband, police say

New CCTV images have been released of the prime suspect in the killing of Harshita Brella as police revealed the 24-year-old had been strangled.

The new material shows Ms Brella’s husband Pankaj Lamba in east London after he is thought to have killed her and abandoned her body in a car boot.

Northamptonshire Police detectives believe she was murdered in Corby on the evening of Sunday November 10 before her body was driven to Ilford in the car boot the next day.

An international manhunt was launched after the body was found in the early hours of Thursday parked in Brisbane Road.

A post-mortem examination carried out at Leicester Royal Infirmary on Friday gave the preliminary cause of death as strangulation, police said.

Detectives have released the new images to prompt anyone who may have interacted with the suspected killer between Sunday morning and Monday November 11 evening to contact police.

Senior investigating officer, Detective Chief Inspector Johnny Campbell from the East Midlands Special Operations major crime unit, said: “We are working closely with policing colleagues and our partners in the CPS, and in order to secure justice for Harshita, there are certain aspects of this investigation we are unable to comment on.

“Our inquiries have established that Pankaj Lamba drove a Silver Vauxhall Corsa from Corby to Ilford sometime on the morning of Monday November 11.

“We suspect Harshita’s body had been placed in the boot of the vehicle by Lamba before leaving Corby.

“Lamba then abandoned the vehicle in Brisbane Road, Ilford and made his getaway.

“Any information, no matter how small, may be relevant to the investigation and help us get justice for Harshita.”

Ms Brella’s parents, speaking from India, told BBC News they “want justice” after their daughter’s death.

Sonia Dabas, Ms Brella’s sister, said the family “thought something was wrong” by November 13 after her phone was off for two days, and asked people to file a complaint.

A neighbour has said she heard two blistering rows, involving one where a woman “sounded scared”, days before Ms Brella’s body was found.

A police spokesman confirmed Ms Brella had previously been the victim of domestic violence and was made subject of a Domestic Violence Protection Order (DVPO) at Northampton Magistrates’ Court in September.

Northamptonshire Police have made a mandatory referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) because of previous contact with Ms Brella.

Anyone who may have information is asked to call police on 101 quoting Operation Westcott or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.