The sister of a murdered woman whose body was found in the boot of a car has said she “can’t live without” her sibling, who she did “everything” with.
Harshita Brella’s sister Sonia Dabas spoke to Sky News alongside her mother, Sudesh, about their heartbreak after Ms Brella’s body was found in east London, on 14 November.
An international manhunt remains under way for Ms Brella’s husband, Pankaj Lamba, who Northamptonshire Police believe has fled the country.
A post-mortem examination found Ms Brella died from strangulation.
Describing her 24-year-old sister as “very innocent” and “childlike” Ms Dabas said the two of them were inseparable and did everything together.
“If it’s two steps or two hours away, [we were] always together,” Ms Dabas said.
“We wore similar clothes, even after marriage, even if she was shopping we would show each other on video calls, even if it was buying a T-shirt. Even though we were far, we were so close.”
She added it feels like “something is missing from her body” since her sister’s death, calling it “the murder of thousands of dreams”.
“If she can hear me, please come back, I can’t live without you,” Ms Dabas said.
“I don’t understand how it will ever feel like normal life. [I] can’t ever forget her.”
Sky News understands Ms Brella had been under the protection of a court order designed for victims of domestic abuse before her murder.
Police suspect she was murdered in Northamptonshire by Lamba, who then transported her body from Corby to Ilford in east London.
‘Send my sister to me’
Both Ms Dabas and her mother said they want Ms Brella’s body to be returned to them in Delhi.
Sudesh said: “I want my daughter back as soon as possible, in whatever condition. I want to see my daughter soon. And she should get justice.”
Ms Dabas added: “I just want [the] UK police to please update us on what is happening there, and what happened to Harshita.
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“My request to you, the UK government is please, send my sister to me, according to our rituals we have to do something. I want her soul to rest in peace. Please, please give my sister.”
Northamptonshire Police Chief Inspector Paul Cash said on Sunday the investigation into Ms Brella’s murder is ongoing and more than 60 detectives are following “numerous lines of enquiry”.
The force has made a mandatory referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct due to previous contact they had with the victim.
