A year after 24-year-old Harshita Brella was found dead in London, her family accuse police in the UK and India of failing to bring her husband

A year after the murder of 24-year-old Harshita Brella in the UK, her family in Delhi say they are still waiting for justice, as the man accused of killing her remains on the run in India.

Harshita’s body was found in the boot of a car in Ilford, east London, on 14 November 2024, days after she was last seen alive. Police believe she was strangled to death in Corby, Northamptonshire, on 10 November by her husband, Pankaj Lamba, who fled the country soon afterwards.

Speaking from their home in the Indian capital, Harshita’s mother, Sudesh Kumari, wept as she questioned the lack of progress. “Why has her killer not been caught yet? Neither the UK government nor the Indian government are doing anything,” she said. “I want justice for my daughter. Only then will I find peace.”

Harshita and Pankaj, both from Delhi, had moved to the UK earlier that year, settling in Corby. Northamptonshire Police later charged Lamba in his absence with murder, as well as rape, sexual assault and coercive control. He remains their prime suspect.

Harshita’s sister, Sonia Dabas, said the family felt abandoned by both governments. “We are very disappointed with the UK police. Maybe because we are not citizens, they are not serious about this case. They are sending out a message that foreign nationals are not safe in the UK,” she told the BBC.

Two months before her death, on 3 September 2024, Harshita had reported her husband for domestic abuse. He was arrested and later released on bail under a Domestic Violence Protection Order, which expired just four weeks later. Sonia said that failure gave her sister’s husband “the confidence that he could get away with murder.”

Four Northamptonshire Police officers are under investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) over their handling of Harshita’s earlier complaint. The watchdog said its findings had been sent to the force, which has until mid-November to respond.

In a statement, Northamptonshire Police said the case was “exceptionally complex” and that Indian authorities had been informed through official channels. However, neither the UK nor Indian governments have confirmed whether a formal extradition request has been made.

Harshita’s family say they believe Lamba is being protected in India. “He has relatives who are policemen,” Sonia said. “In March this year, he was seen on CCTV withdrawing money from a bank. How can he not be found yet? This is all because of corruption.” The family also claim he was running a shop in Gurgaon, near Delhi, earlier this year.

Delhi Police deny the accusation of inaction, saying they have arrested several of Lamba’s relatives on separate dowry charges filed by Harshita’s parents. They also said public notices had been issued offering a reward for information on his whereabouts.

Among Harshita’s belongings returned from the UK were her shoes, which her mother now wears every day. “They are tight for me, but I feel close to her when I wear them,” Sudesh Kumari said. “Sometimes I still feel she’s in the UK. I cannot believe she is gone.”

Harshita’s father, Satbir Singh Brella, spends his days visiting police stations and courts. “My daughter was so straightforward and kind-hearted. A terrible thing happened to her,” he said.

In a letter written weeks before her death, Harshita documented the abuse she suffered. “Sexually abused, verbally abused, physically abused, mentally abused, socially abused… He threatened to kill me. Even if I go to India, he will kill me.”

For her grieving family, that warning remains a haunting reminder of how a young woman’s cries for help went unanswered