The Indian woman, Harshita Brella, who was found dead in UK, is reported to have warned her family about her husband, informing them that ‘he would kill her’. Speaking to BBC, her mother revealed, “She said I will not go back to him. He will kill me.” “He was making her life miserable”, she added.
The victim’s family believes that her husband, Pankaj Lamba, the main suspect in the case, was in India, but the family claims that the local police has not been listening to their pleas. The family of the victim has accused Lamba of domestic violence, as her father, Satbir Brella, quoted her saying, “She said he beat me really badly. He even beat me in the street.” He added, “My daughter was crying, crying so hard.”
On the other hand, Sunil Devi, Lamba’s mother has said that she could believe her son would have killed her. She told BBC, “I don’t know anything but I cannot believe this.”
What does the police say?
The police suspects that Harshita was strangled to death in Corby, Northamptonshire on November 10. After that, she might have been transported to Ilford. Her body was discovered on November 14 in the boot of a car.
Notably, on September 3, Lamba was arrested under domestic violence protection order (DVPO); however, two days later, he was released on bail.
Here’s what the UK parliament said on this
Earlier, the UK parliament had described the circumstances surrounding the murder of Harshita Brella as “horrifying” and “barbaric” as an inquest opened into the 24-year-old Indian-origin victim’s death.
The local MP of the constituency, Lee Barron, raised the issue in the House of Commons and asked Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner if in certain circumstances domestic violence protection orders (DVPOs) should last longer than 28 days. DVPOs are court orders that ban a domestic violence perpetrator from returning to their home or having contact with the victim.
“This tragic murder left a community shocked and scared, and it is being investigated by the police. Harshita was protected by a domestic violence protection order that lasted 28 days. It was not renewed,” said Barron.
In her response, Rayner said the government is committed to halving violence against women and girls
