Newlywed who was murdered by her husband would still be alive today if police had not told her to stay in the UK, family says
A murdered newlywed Indian woman might still be alive if police had not advised her to leave Britain, her devastated family have claimed.
Four police officers are facing malpractice charges over their handling of domestic violence allegations by 24-year-old Harshita Brella.
She had contacted Northamptonshire Police in August 2024 after her husband Pankaj Lamba, 23, was allegedly assaulted at his home in Corby.
In a few weeks Miss Brella would be dead; He is believed to have drowned at Corby on 10 November that year.
His body was found in the boot of a car in Ilford, east London, four days later and a manhunt is underway for part-time security guard Lamba, who is accused of murder and is believed to have fled in India.
Ms Brella’s sister Sonia Dabas told the Daily Mail: “She was very scared at the time and we wanted her to come back to India where she would be safe.”
But he told me that the police officer told him that neither he nor Pankaj could leave the country as his case was pending. This is one of the worst things for us. If he had come back then, as we all wanted, he would still be alive today.
‘Instead, he managed to escape without question after her murder. He reached India without anyone stopping him.’
Four police officers face misconduct charges over their handling of domestic violence allegations made by 24-year-old Harshita Brella (pictured)
She had contacted Northamptonshire Police in August 2024 after allegedly being assaulted by her husband Pankaj Lamba (pictured), 23, at their home in Corby.
Harshita Brella’s mother Sudesh Kumari, father Satbir Singh and sister Sonia Dabas were photographed laying flowers in Corby, where they believe Harshita was murdered
The mother of two added: ‘She was a very innocent and naive girl living in a new country. ‘He believed the advice he was given.’
Ms Brella’s distraught father, Satbir Singh Brella, who lives near Delhi, added that his daughter, who arrived in the UK in April 2024 after getting married in India, appeared ‘broken’ after police placed her in a women’s shelter alone. ‘He was completely broken, I told him over and over, ‘Son, come home now… there’s no point in staying.’
“But he believed he wasn’t allowed to go,” Mr. Brella said. ‘If the police had not told him this, we would have booked the ticket and brought him to India immediately. ‘There was nothing else stopping us.’
Northamptonshire Police referred him to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC); this was a necessary step due to his officers’ previous contact with Ms. Brella. The IOPC concluded that the four officers should face misconduct charges over their handling of the young woman’s allegations of domestic violence.
‘We are of the view that officers may have potentially breached police standards of professional conduct,’ the police watchdog said last November. The IOPC concluded that the two police officers had a case to answer for gross misconduct over their investigation into Ms Brella’s allegations.
A sergeant and chief inspector also have a misconduct case in which they are responsible for their own supervision and review of the case. Northamptonshire Police said an investigation into the four officers was ongoing.
The police watchdog said Ms Brella contacted Northamptonshire Police on August 29, 2024, alleging domestic abuse by Lamba, who was studying management in the UK on a student visa. He was arrested on September 3 and released on bail on the condition that he not contact his wife and a domestic violence protection order was issued.
The victim’s family flew to the UK to meet with MPs and Northamptonshire Police in their fight to bring Ms Brella’s killer to justice.
‘My sister had been given wrong advice many times. We thought the UK police were the best in the world. We feel let down in every way,” Ms. Dabas added.
A spokesman for the force said: ‘Northamptonshire Police is liaising with the IOPC regarding this allegation.
‘IOPC had conducted an independent investigation into police contact with Harshita Brella and her husband Pankaj Lamba before Harshita’s death in November 2024.’
