Neighbour heard ‘scared woman’ before murder victim’s body found – latest

On Wednesday last week, Northamptonshire Police received a call about concerns for the welfare of 24-year-old Harshita Brella.

Police visited Ms Brella’s home in Corby, Northamptonshire, but no-one answered, leading detectives to launch a missing persons investigation.

The next day, her body was found inside a car boot in Ilford, east London, and a postmortem concluded she had been murdered.

Northamptonshire Police Chief Inspector Paul Cash named her husband Pankaj Lamba as a suspect and said she was likely murdered earlier this month in Northamptonshire.

He said detectives believe Mr Lamba has now fled the country and has urged anyone with information to come forward.

November: Harshita Brella, 24, was murdered in Northamptonshire, according to police. The exact date is unclear.

13 November: Northamptonshire Police receive a call about concerns for the welfare of Ms Brella and visit her home in Corby but no-one answers

14 November: Ms Brella’s body is found in a car boot 100 miles away in Ilford, east London, after police launched an investigation

15 November: A postmortem at Leicester Royal Infirmary finds Ms Brella was murdered

17 November: Northamptonshire Police name Ms Brella’s husband Pankaj Lamba as a suspect and say he has likely fled the country

On Wednesday last week, Northamptonshire Police received a call about concerns for the welfare of 24-year-old Harshita Brella.

Police visited Ms Brella’s home in Corby, Northamptonshire, but no-one answered, leading detectives to launch a missing persons investigation.

The next day, her body was found inside a car boot in Ilford, east London, and a postmortem concluded she had been murdered.

Northamptonshire Police Chief Inspector Paul Cash named her husband Pankaj Lamba as a suspect and said she was likely murdered earlier this month in Northamptonshire.

He said detectives believe Mr Lamba has now fled the country and has urged anyone with information to come forward.

A neighbour of Harshita Brella has revealed she heard two blistering rows, one involving a woman who “sounded scared”, in the days before the 24-year-old’s body was discovered in the boot of a car in London.

Kelly Philp, Ms Brella’s neighbour in Corby, said she overheard an argument between a man and a woman on Wednesday.

“They were arguing in a different language so I couldn’t understand what was being said,” the 41-year-old told the Daily Mirror.

“But it sounded angry and there were raised voices and the woman sounded scared.

“I heard a commotion between a man and a woman and I heard banging around. I didn’t call police. I just thought it was a relationship argument.”

The death of 24-year-old Harshita Brella is “absolutely tragic”, Northamptonshire Police’s Chief Inspector Paul Cash said.

He said: “Firstly, on behalf of Northamptonshire Police, I would like to express my deepest and heartfelt condolences to Harshita’s family and friends, and to everyone who knew and loved her.

“Harshita was a young woman in her early 20s, with her whole life ahead of her and everything to live for, and it is absolutely tragic that her life has been cut short in this way.

An international manhunt has been launched for a husband after his wife was found dead inside a car boot almost 100 miles from her home.

Northamptonshire Police released a CCTV image of Pankaj Lamba, who they have named as a suspect in the murder of Harshita Brella, 24, earlier this month.

Detectives said they believe Mr Lamba has now fled the country and has urged anyone with information to come forward.

Ms Brella was found in the car on Brisbane Road, Ilford, after detectives discovered her missing from her home in Corby, Northamptonshire, following calls about her welfare last week.