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Indian man accused of killing wife in UK ran Delhi shop before vanishing
In March 2025, the Crown Prosecution Service authorized charges against Lamba for murder, rape, sexual assault, and controlling or coercive behavior.
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Malvika Choudhary - Fri, 14, Nov 2025
- 15:58 EST
- 18
Harshita Brella / northants.police.uk
UK police travelled to India as part of their search for Pankaj Lamba, an Indian man who has been charged with murdering his wife, 24-year-old Harshita Brella, in Nov. 2024. Lamba left the UK shortly after the killing and has not been traced since.
Brella was found strangled and hidden in the boot of a car in Ilford, East London, on Nov. 14, 2024. Detectives believe she was killed on Nov. 10, 2024, at the couple’s home in Corby, Northamptonshire. The couple, both originally from Delhi, had moved to the UK earlier that year.
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In March 2025, the Crown Prosecution Service authorized charges against Lamba for murder, rape, sexual assault, and controlling or coercive behavior.
The case was filed in his absence, with investigators believing he had returned to India. Northamptonshire Police officers travelled to India in July 2025 to meet Brella’s family and return her belongings.
In India, Lamba was spotted running a small snack and vegetable shop near his childhood home in Delhi, often covering his face and seen with a woman and a child. His former teacher, Sunil Saini, said he last saw Lamba in April when the shop shut down abruptly.
Saini said Lamba had earlier contacted him about leftover restaurant equipment and suggested Saini could either use or sell the items. Their conversation, he recalled, took place around April 10 or 11, 2025. The shop has since been converted into an egg store, and residents believe Lamba left the area as police inquiries intensified.
Brella’s family allege that she faced months of domestic and financial abuse. They say she had approached authorities and sought protection before her death, and that financial pressure and dowry-related demands contributed to her distress. They also say they feel neglected by authorities in both countries.
Her mother, Sudesh Kumari, said she cannot understand why the suspect has not been arrested, while her sister, Sonia Dabas, said the family believes their concerns may not have been prioritized because they are not UK citizens.
Weeks before she was killed, Brella reported domestic abuse to Northamptonshire Police. Lamba was arrested at the time but later released on bail conditions that expired a month before her death. Her sister said this lapse led him to believe he could act with impunity.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct has launched an inquiry into how Northamptonshire Police handled her earlier complaint. Four officers have been served disciplinary notices—two for potential gross misconduct and two for possible misconduct. The watchdog has completed its report and shared it with the force, which has until mid-November to respond.
Northamptonshire Police said the investigation remains active, and the force is committed to pursuing justice for Brella and her family.
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