The UK police investigating the murder of 24-year-old Harshita Brella, whose body was recovered from a car boot in east London, have launched a manhunt for her Indian-origin husband who they suspect fled the country after killing his wife earlier this month.
In an updated statement from the Northamptonshire Police on Sunday, Chief Inspector Paul Cash said more than 60 detectives were working on the case as the force released an image of Pankaj Lamba, the accused husband, in an appeal for information.
"Our inquiries lead us to suspect that Harshita was murdered in Northamptonshire earlier this month by her husband Pankaj Lamba," Cash said.
"We suspect Lamba transported Harshita's body from Northamptonshire to Ilford by car. We believe he has now fled the country… More than 60 detectives are working on the case and are continuing to follow numerous lines of inquiry, including house to house, property searches, CCTV (cameras) and ANPR (automatic number plate recognition). We are, of course, continuing to appeal for any information that will help us piece together exactly what happened as we work to get justice for Harshita," he added.
Earlier, the Northamptonshire Police had named the woman found dead in the boot of a car in London as Harshita Brella as they launched a murder inquiry over the weekend.
The force said it had received a call on Wednesday regarding concerns for Brella's welfare and officers were deployed to her home address at Skegness Walk in Corby, Northamptonshire.
After getting no answer, the police launched a missing person investigation and fast-track enquiries were made that led to the discovery of the victim's body inside the boot of a vehicle on Brisbane Road in the Ilford area of east London in the early hours of Thursday. A post-mortem was conducted at Leicester Royal Infirmary on Friday.
"First of all, I want to express my heartfelt condolences to everyone who loved Harshita Brella," said Detective Chief Inspector Johnny Campbell, senior investigating officer from the East Midlands Special Operations Major Crime Unit (EMSOU).
"She was a young woman in her early 20s with her whole life ahead of her and it is absolutely tragic that her life has been cut short in this way. Detectives from EMSOU and the Northamptonshire Police are working around the clock to establish the circumstances behind her death, including the exact location and timeframe in which it took place," he said.
Investigators believe Brella was killed in a "targeted incident" as they appealed to anyone who may have information about the incident to come forward.
"Although we believe Harshita was attacked by someone known to her, we are keeping an open mind, and would appeal to anyone who knew her to contact us with any relevant information they may have. If you saw anything suspicious in the past week or have any information, no matter how small, please contact us. We would always rather receive well-meaning information that turns out to be nothing as opposed to not receiving it all," he said.
The police said officers were satisfied there was no wider risk to the public as a result of this incident.
However, extra patrols will be taking place in Corby in the coming days for reassurance purposes. As is mandatory, the Northamptonshire Police has also made a referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) due to previous contact between the police force and the victim.
"Shortly after midnight on the morning of Thursday, November 14, the Met was contacted by officers from the Northamptonshire Police, raising concerns for the welfare of a woman who was believed to be in a car in the east London area," a Metropolitan Police spokesperson said.
"The car was located parked in Brisbane Road, Ilford, and the body of a 24-year-old woman was found inside the vehicle," the spokesperson said.
The police investigators are now working to establish the connection between Brella going missing from her home in Corby, around 145 kilometres north of London, and being found dead in a car in the UK capital days later.
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