An international manhunt is under way for the husband of a woman who was murdered and found in the boot of a car.
Northamptonshire Police have named Pankaj Lamba, 23, as the prime suspect in the murder of 24-year-old Harshita Brella, of Corby.
A murder inquiry was launched after her body was found inside the boot of the vehicle in Brisbane Road in Ilford, east London, in the early hours of Thursday.
Chief Inspector Paul Cash told a press conference in Kettering at the weekend: “Inquiries lead us to suspect that Harshita was murdered in Northamptonshire earlier this month by her husband Pankaj Lamba.
“We suspect Lamba transported Harshita’s body from Northamptonshire to Ilford by car. We believe he has now fled the country.”
Police did not say to which country they believe Lamba might have gone.
The force was contacted on Wednesday by a member of the public concerned for her welfare.
After police were unable to locate her at her home in Skegness Walk, Corby, an investigation was launched and her body was found in the car.
A post-mortem examination established that she had been murdered.
Earlier a police spokesman confirmed that she had previously been the victim of domestic violence and in early September was made the subject of a Domestic Violence Protection Order at Northampton Magistrates’ Court.
The culprit was prevented from molesting her, from threatening violence, or intimidating, harassing, or pestering her, and also told not to encourage or instruct others to contact her in any way.
The order was served by Northamptonshire Police and implemented by magistrates. No formal charges against the harasser have since been recorded by the court and he was released following the court hearing but ordered to pay the full costs, according to reports.
Northamptonshire Police have also made a mandatory referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct because of previous contact between the force and the victim.
Chief Inspector Cash said police had followed “a number of lines of investigation and carried out numerous inquiries” with more than 60 officers now working on the case.
He added, “Officers and detectives from the East Midlands Special Operations Major Crime Unit and Northamptonshire Police, working with colleagues from the Metropolitan Police, have been working around the clock to establish the circumstances behind Harshita’s death, including the exact location and timeframe in which it took place.”
Investigators are carrying out house-to-house inquiries and property searches, and looking at CCTV and Automatic Number Plate Recognition images in order to try and find leads.
During his statement to the media, Cash said: “On behalf of Northamptonshire Police, I would like to express my deepest and heartfelt condolences to Harshita’s family and friends, and to everyone who knew and loved her.
“Harshita was a young woman in her early 20s, with her whole life ahead of her and everything to live for, and it is absolutely tragic that her life has been cut short in this way.”
Anyone who may have information is asked to call police on 101 quoting Operation Westcott or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
