Harshita Brellas cause of death is revealed after 24-year-olds body was found in car boot as police step up global manhunt for husband
An inquest has opened into the death of Harshita Brella, who is believed to have been strangled before being dumped in the boot of a car, as police continue a global manhunt to find her husband.
An inquest has opened into the death of Harshita Brella, who is believed to have been strangled before being dumped in the boot of a car, as police continue a global manhunt to find her husband.
Senior coroner Anne Pember opened the hearing into the death of the 24-year-old at Northampton Coroners Court on Wednesday as police released CCTV images of the prime suspect of her killing, her husband Pankaj Lamba, 23.
She has adjourned the inquest to May 21 next year.
Ms Pember said: I open an inquest touching on the death of Harshita Brella, a 24-year-old lady found in a vehicle in Ilford.
The East Midlands Special Operations Major Crime Unit have informed me that Harshita was murdered at her home in Corby by her husband Pankaj Lamba. Her husband is then believed to have fled the country.
Ms Pember added that the preliminary cause of death has been given as manual strangulation, pending further test results.
She told the hearing that the body has not yet been released.
An international manhunt was launched after Ms Brellas body was found in a silver Vauxhall Corsa parked in Brisbane Road, Ilford, in the early hours of Thursday.
An inquest has opened into the death of Harshita Brella, who is believed to have been strangled before being dumped in the boot of a car
Northamptonshire Police have named her husband Pankaj Lamba, 23, as a suspect
Northamptonshire Police detectives believe she was murdered in Corby on the evening of November 10 before her body was driven to Ilford in the car boot the next day.
Police released new CCTV images of the prime suspect of her killing, her husband Pankaj Lamba, 23, in east London after he is thought to have killed her and abandoned her body in the boot of a car.
A post-mortem examination carried out at Leicester Royal Infirmary on Friday gave the preliminary cause of death as strangulation, police said.
A neighbour has said she heard two blistering rows, involving one where a woman sounded scared, days before Ms Brellas body was found.
Kelly Philip, 41, who lived near Ms Brella, claimed she overheard an argument between a man and a woman on Wednesday.
She told the Mirror: They were arguing in a different language so I couldnt understand what was being said.
But it sounded angry and there were raised voices and the woman sounded scared.
I heard a commotion between a man and a woman and I heard banging around. I didnt call police. I just thought it was a relationship argument.
Harshita Brella was reported missing on November 13 by authorities after Northamptonshire Police conducted a welfare check at her home in Corby and received no answer
Forensic officers visiting Harshita Brellas Corby home on Sunday morning
A police spokesman confirmed Ms Brella had previously been the victim of domestic violence and was made the subject of a domestic violence protection order (DVPO) at Northampton Magistrates Court in September.
Ms Brellas parents, speaking from India, told BBC News they want justice after their daughters death.
Sonia Dabas, Ms Brellas sister, said the family thought something was wrong by November 13 after her phone was off for two days.
The alarm was finally raised last Wednesday when police received a call raising concerns over Ms Brellas welfare.
Officers were sent to her home address, but received no answer at the door.
A missing person investigation was launched and, after enquiries were fast-tracked, her body was found 95.7 miles away from the shared house she lived in.
Yesterday, police confirmed Ms Brella was previously the victim of domestic violence and in early September was made subject of a Domestic Violence Protection Order (DVPO), served by Northamptonshire Police.
The 28-day DVPO banned the perpetrator of the violence from visiting Ms Brellas workplace, while they were also prevented from molesting her, threatening violence, or intimidating, harassing or pestering her, and also told not to encourage or instruct others to contact her in any way.
No formal charges against the same person have since been recorded by the court and they were released following the court hearing but ordered to pay the full costs, according to reports.
Northamptonshire Police has made a mandatory referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) because of previous contact with Ms Brella.
Anyone who may have information is asked to call police on 101 quoting Operation Westcott or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
