UK police hunt for husband who fled to India after killing wife, Last seen selling vegetables in Delhi

 

By Sagaya Fernando | November 12, 2025

Delhi, INDIA: Nearly a year after 24-year-old Harshita Brella was brutally murdered in the United Kingdom, her family in Delhi continues to wait for justice — even as her accused husband, Pankaj Lamba, remains on the run, reportedly hiding somewhere in India.

Harshita’s body was discovered on November 14, 2024, stuffed inside the boot of a silver Vauxhall Corsa in Ilford, East London. Investigators believe she was strangled to death four days earlier, on November 10, inside the couple’s rented home in Corby, Northamptonshire.

The couple, both originally from Delhi, had moved to the UK in March 2024, just months after their wedding. But what started as a promising new chapter ended in one of the most disturbing domestic violence cases to emerge from the Indian diaspora in Britain.

UK Police File Multiple Charges

In March 2025, Northamptonshire Police charged Lamba with murder, rape, sexual assault, and coercive control. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) later launched an inquiry into how officers had handled Harshita’s earlier domestic abuse complaint — filed merely two months before her death.

According to the IOPC, Harshita had approached local authorities on September 3, 2024, alleging that Lamba was abusive and violent. He was arrested and released on bail under a Domestic Violence Protection Order (DVPO), which expired on October 1 — just a month before she was killed.

Four Northamptonshire Police officers are now under investigation for alleged negligence in handling her complaint. The IOPC has completed its inquiry and shared its findings with the force, which has until mid-November to respond.

“We are unable to go into detail while criminal proceedings remain active,” a police spokesperson said. “However, the Indian authorities have been informed through proper diplomatic channels.”

Seen Running a Shop in Delhi

Despite being charged in the UK, Pankaj Lamba managed to flee to India shortly after the murder. According to reports by the BBC and ITV News, he was seen earlier this year running a small grocery and snack shop near his childhood home on the outskirts of Delhi.

Locals told reporters that Lamba kept his face covered and was often seen with a woman and a young child. “He suddenly shut the shop and disappeared around April when police began closing in,” said Sunil Saini, his former schoolteacher.

Saini also recalled a conversation in February: “He told me he had some restaurant items I could use or sell. That was around the 10th or 11th of April — just before he vanished.”

The shop has since been converted into an egg stall, and residents believe Lamba may have moved to Gurgaon, where Harshita’s family claims he was sighted again in March.

“Why Has Her Killer Not Been Caught?”

In their modest Delhi home, Harshita’s grieving parents — Sudesh Kumari and Satbir Singh Brella — continue to live with the pain of unanswered questions.

“Why has her killer not been caught yet?” Sudesh Kumari asked, clutching her daughter’s scarf. “Neither the UK government nor the Indian government is doing anything. I just want justice for my daughter.”

Her sister, Sonia Dabas, shares the same anguish. “Maybe because we are not British citizens, they don’t take our case seriously. It sends a message that foreign nationals are not safe in the UK,” she said.

Sonia alleges that Lamba is being shielded by relatives within the Indian police. “He was seen withdrawing money from a bank in March. How can he not be traced? This is all because of corruption,” she told the BBC.

Legal Efforts and Official Silence

Earlier this year, Harshita’s sister filed a petition in the Delhi High Court, accusing India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) of failing to pursue the case effectively with UK authorities. The court directed the MEA to appoint a nodal officer to coordinate with British investigators and to keep the family informed of developments.

Meanwhile, Delhi Police confirmed that they have arrested members of Lamba’s family in a separate dowry harassment case filed by Harshita’s parents. Those accused — including Lamba’s parents and sister — are currently out on bail.

Police also claim to have issued public notices and a reward for information leading to Lamba’s arrest. “The search for him is ongoing,” a Delhi Police spokesperson said.

However, Harshita’s family believes the efforts are half-hearted. “They are just killing time,” Sonia said. “If they really wanted to find him, they could have done it months ago.”

“Justice Delayed Must Not Become Justice Denied”

At the Brella family’s home, memories of Harshita fill every corner. Her mother often wears her daughter’s clothes and shoes — the ones returned by British officials who visited in July.

“They are tight for me, but I feel close to her when I wear them,” Sudesh said softly. “Sometimes I feel she’s still in the UK. I cannot believe she is gone.”

As the first anniversary of Harshita’s murder passes, her family’s appeal remains the same — that her killer be caught and brought to justice before her case fades into silence.

“Justice delayed must not become justice denied,” said her father, Satbir Singh. “My daughter was kind, honest, and full of dreams. We cannot rest until her soul finds peace.”