The mother of a woman, whom authorities allege was murdered and subsequently placed in the boot of a car in east London, expressed her anguish to the BBC, stating, “I just want justice for my daughter.”
Sudesh Kumari, the mother of Harshita Brella, expressed her grief in an emotional interview with the BBC from their residence in Delhi.
Ms. Brella expressed her enthusiasm about relocating to the UK in April following her arranged marriage to Pankaj Lamba, as her sister, Sonia Dabas, reported.
Authorities in Northamptonshire are investigating the case of Mr Lamba, who is suspected of murdering Ms Brella. Reports indicate that he may have fled the country after allegedly transporting the 24-year-old’s body by car to Ilford, located in east London.
Satbir Brella, the father of Ms. Brella, expressed his desire for justice, stating, “I want my son-in-law to be brought to justice, and I want my daughter’s body brought home.”
Mr. Brella characterized his daughter as a straightforward and earnest young woman. He said she aspired to become a teacher, dedicating her days to tutoring children in their Delhi home before focussing on her studies.
According to her sister, she and Ms. Brella shared an unbreakable bond.
“She was an integral part of my life, and I was equally significant to hers,” she stated. “I now feel like I can’t do anything without her.”
She remarked, “We used to chat all day.” She had saved my name as ‘heartbeat’ on her phone. The bond we shared is now clear to you.
According to the family, their last phone communication with Ms. Brella occurred on November 10.
According to her sister, she informed them that dinner was prepared and she was awaiting Mr. Lamba’s return home.
Ms Dabas said her sister’s phone was off for the next two days, and by November 13, they “thought something was wrong” and asked people they knew to file a complaint.
Northamptonshire Police reported that they were alerted on Wednesday about concerns for her welfare, which subsequently resulted in the discovery of her body and the initiation of a murder investigation.
Ms Dabas detailed that her sister and Mr Lamba participated in an arranged marriage, culminating in a legal wedding in August 2023.
On March 22 this year, the couple celebrated their traditional Indian ceremony before departing for the UK around April 30, ultimately settling in Corby, Northamptonshire.
According to her, Mr Lamba was a student in London, while her sister had been employed in a warehouse.
Ms Dabas reported that her sister aspired to become a teacher in India and was making rapid progress, accomplishing in two months what others might take years to achieve.
However, she said she “didn’t live a happy life in London.”
“She struggled a lot because of her husband,” she said.
She expressed to her sister the desire for her to “quit and come to India,” urging her to return to them.
“We would have simply removed her from that individual,” she stated.
She mentioned that her sister had once been passionate about travelling. While visiting the UK, she enquired why her sister needed to capture and share photos on Instagram. Subsequently, her sister clarified that such actions were prohibited.
“Everything was subject to restrictions,” she stated.
She described how her sister told her she was prohibited from wearing make-up or “nice clothes.”
According to Ms. Brella’s father, her husband expressed concerns regarding her inability to prepare meals “on time” and remarked that she was “talking too much to her mother.”
In late August, according to her sister, Ms. Brella contacted her father in India to inform him that she had fled.
She reported that he was physically assaulting her, and she managed to flee the situation. “She fled into the streets, and he pursued her, striking her again in that location,” Ms. Dabas reported.
A local witnessed the incident and enquired about the circumstances that led to his departure from her. Harshita contacted an acquaintance, who promptly arrived to give her a ride.
The Northamptonshire Telegraph reported she was the subject of a domestic violence protection order, saying it was made in early September and lasted 28 days.
Police have since confirmed the order had been in place before Ms Brella’s death.
The force said it had made a mandatory referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct because there was previous contact with Ms Brella.
The family expressed their desire to have her remains returned to India, with her father stating to the BBC that this would allow “her soul to find peace, and perhaps we will too.”
