Body in boot murder cops arrested husband for domestic abuse – but freed him weeks before he ‘killed wife’ & fled UK
THE husband of a woman found dead in a car boot was arrested for domestic abuse and later released just weeks before he allegedly killed her, it has emerged.
An international manhunt has been launched for Pankaj Lamba after 24-year-old Harshita Brella’s body was found in the boot of a car in Ilford in east London on November 14.
Harshita is believed to have been killed in Corby, Northamptonshire on November 10 with Lamba, 23, named by police as a prime suspect in her killing.
The IOPC have said they are investigating Northamptonshire Police after Harshita made a report of domestic abuse in August.
Lamba was arrested on September 3 and released with bail conditions and a domestic violence protection notice, they added.
In a statement, IOPC regional director, Derrick Campbell said: “After assessment of a referral from Northamptonshire Police we have decided to investigate police contact with Harshita Brella, and her husband Pankaj Lamba, prior to her body being found on November 14.
“We will be examining the police response to Ms Brella’s report of domestic abuse made at the end of August this year. We understand Mr Lamba was arrested by Northamptonshire Police on September 3 and was released with bail conditions and a domestic violence protection notice imposed on him. We will look into further contact Northamptonshire Police had with Ms Brella concerning the case.
“Our investigation will consider the actions and decisions taken by Northamptonshire Police in relation to the report made by Ms Brella and their subsequent investigation.
“Our thoughts are with Ms Brella’s family and all those affected by her death. We will be contacting Ms Brella’s family to explain our role and express our sincere condolences.”
How you can get help
Women's Aid has this advice for victims and their families:
- Always keep your phone nearby.
- Get in touch with charities for help, including the Women’s Aid live chat helpline and services such as SupportLine.
- If you are in danger, call 999.
- Familiarise yourself with the Silent Solution, reporting abuse without speaking down the phone, instead dialing “55”.
- Always keep some money on you, including change for a pay phone or bus fare.
- If you suspect your partner is about to attack you, try to go to a lower-risk area of the house – for example, where there is a way out and access to a telephone.
- Avoid the kitchen and garage, where there are likely to be knives or other weapons. Avoid rooms where you might become trapped, such as the bathroom, or where you might be shut into a cupboard or other small space.
If you are a victim of domestic abuse, SupportLine is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 6pm to 8pm on 01708 765200. The charity’s email support service is open weekdays and weekends during the crisis – messageinfo@supportline.org.uk.
Women’s Aid provides a live chat service – available weekdays from 8am-6pm and weekends 10am-6pm.
You can also call the freephone 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247.
Previously, cops released chilling CCTV footage of the husband and wife days before her body was found in the car boot.
The 24-year-old woman was discovered inside a silver Vauxhall in Ilford, east London in the early hours of Thursday, November 14.
Sparking an international manhunt, cops have said that they believe her husband was responsible but has since fled the country.
The footage shows the pair in the area of a boating lake on Sunday, November 10 with detectives stating that they believe she was murdered the same evening.
Harshita was last seen at Corby Boating Lake, on Cottingham Road and Westcott Way.
As part of the ongoing investigation, cops confirmed they were searching the site.
Detectives have appealed to anyone in the area between 6pm and 9pm on Sunday to get in touch.
After the shocking discovery, a forensic postmortem examination was carried out at Leicester royal Infirmary.
This gave the preliminary cause of death as strangulation with detectives suspecting Lamba transported her body to Ilford by car.
A vehicle was found parked in Brisbane Road and it is thought that Lamba then fled the country.