Harshitha's murder causes controversy in Britain

British police are currently facing severe criticism regarding the murder of 24-year-old Indian national Harshita Brijlal, who was killed in the United Kingdom. Her family members state that she lost her life due to the advice given by the police for her to remain in the United Kingdom.

They strongly believe that if she had not followed the police's advice not to leave the country, as her legal issue was ongoing, and had returned to India, she would still be alive today.

The main suspect in this murder is her 23-year-old husband, Pankaj Lamba. He came to Britain on a student visa and worked as a part-time security officer. He is now believed to have fled to India after the murder. Harshita, who married in India in April 2024 and came to Britain, had complained to Northamptonshire Police on August 29 about domestic violence from her husband. Accordingly, Lamba was arrested on September 3 and later released on bail with conditions not to contact her.

After police intervention, Harshita was housed in a women's shelter, and at that time, she was suffering from a severe mental breakdown, according to her father, Satbir Singh Brijlal, who lives near Delhi, India. Her family repeatedly urged her to return to India immediately for her safety. However, she told her family that the police had informed her that neither she nor her husband could leave the country as the legal process was ongoing. Her sister, Sonia Dabas, points out that if it weren't for this wrong advice given by the police, her sister would not have met such an unfortunate fate, and it is regrettable that her husband was able to flee the country without any hindrance.

Harshita is believed to have been strangled to death at their home in Corby on November 10, and her body was found four days later in the boot of a car parked in Ilford, East London. Severe disciplinary investigations have now been launched against four Northamptonshire Police officers regarding how they handled this series of events. An investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) concluded that two detective constables, a sergeant, and a chief inspector had breached professional standards.