New images issued of husband suspected of killing wife Harshita Brella as cause of death revealed

A woman whose death has sparked an international manhunt was strangled, tests have shown, as police released new pictures of the suspect they are seeking.

Northamptonshire Police issued fresh CCTV images of her husband Pankaj Lamba, 23, who is believed to have fled the country after killing his wife.

A murder inquiry was launched on Thursday after Ms Brella, from Corby, was found dead in the boot of a car parked outside a park in Ilford, London.

Northamptonshire Police have released new CCTV pictures of Lamba, recorded on CCTV in Ilford.

Detectives have been piecing together hours of footage in the Corby and Ilford area to track the movements of the suspect, who abandoned his Vauxhall Corsa with Ms Brella's body inside.

They are releasing new images in the hope they will be a prompt to anyone who might have interacted with him at any time between the morning of Sunday 10 November and the following evening and encourage them to contact police.

Det Ch Insp Johnny Campbell said: “We are working closely with policing colleagues and our partners in the CPS, and in order to secure justice for Harshita, there are certain aspects of this investigation we are unable to comment on.

“While I appreciate there is a lot of speculation in the media, we would ask people to think carefully about the obligations we have to bring justice by maintaining the integrity of the investigation. However, the investigation continues at pace and we are following numerous lines of inquiry.

“Our inquiries have established that Pankaj Lamba drove a Silver Vauxhall Corsa from Corby to Ilford sometime on the morning of Monday, November 11.

"We suspect Harshita’s body had been placed in the boot of the vehicle by Lamba before leaving Corby. Lamba then abandoned the vehicle in Brisbane Road, Ilford and made his getaway.

“We are continuing to appeal for information and I would urge anyone who may have seen anything suspicious or had any sightings of Pankaj Lamba in Corby, Ilford or elsewhere in the days leading up to the discovery of Harshita’s body, to contact police as soon as possible.

Police said the alarm was raised after Ms Brella failed to answer the door of her home in Skegness Walk on Wednesday.

A neighbour has said she heard two blistering rows, one involving a woman who “sounded scared”, in the days before Ms Brella’s body was discovered.

Chief Insp Paul Cash said: “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 confirmed Ms Brella had previously been the victim of domestic violence and in early September was made subject of a Domestic Violence Protection Order at Northampton Magistrates’ Court.

Northamptonshire Police have made a mandatory referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct because of previous contact between the force and Ms Brella.

Anyone with information should call police on 101 quoting Operation Westcott or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

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