Harshita Brella's sister says she was terrified and wanted to return home to India but was told not to by officers, adding: 'Had she come back at that time as we all wanted, she would still be alive today'15:38, 26 May 2026Updated 15:38, 26 May 2026A newlywed Indian woman was murdered in the UK by her husband after police advised her against leaving the country, her family has claimed.‌Harshita Brella, 24, was strangled at her home just eight months after she married Pankaj Lamba. She had sought help from the police before she was killed, saying her husband was abusing her.‌Four officers are now facing misconduct proceedings over their handling of domestic abuse allegations.‌Harshita's sister, Sonia Dabas told the Daily Mail: "She was terrified at that time and we wanted her to come back home to India where she would be safe. But she told me the police officer said that neither she nor Pankaj could leave the country because her case was active."This is one of the worst things for us. Had she come back at that time as we all wanted, she would still be alive today.‌"Instead, he was able to flee without question after her murder. He reached India without anyone stopping him." The mother of two added: "She was a very innocent and naive girl, living in a new country. She believed the advice she was given."Harshita had contacted Northamptonshire Police in August 2024 after she was allegedly attacked by Lamba, 23, at their home in Corby. She was killed on November 10 that year. Her body was found four days later.READ MORE: Victim of one of UK's worst justice miscarriages left with '£10,000 bill' after compensation fightREAD MORE: Police unit set up to target organised crime arrest over 250 shopliftersLamba is understood to have flown to his native India from Heathrow Airport three days before Harshita was discovered in the boot of a Vauxhall Corsa in Ilford, East London - where he had been seen on CCTV.‌According to local media reports, Lamba was caught on camera at a bank in Gurugram, a satellite city south of Delhi, last year.Lamba, wearing a face mask, withdrew the local equivalent of £3,760 from a cash machine, where he was filmed by CCTV cameras.‌A manhunt remains under way for the part-time security guard, who has been charged with her murder.Northants Police are "looking forward" to meeting the family, who have come to the UK from India, next week.Lamba was charged in his absence with murder, rape, sexual assault and controlling or coercive behaviour.‌Harshita's father, Satbir Singh Brella, said that his daughter, who had arrived in Britain in April 2024 after marrying in India, appeared 'broken' after police placed her in a women's refuge alone."She was completely broken, I told her many times, 'Child, come home now... there's no reason to stay. But she believed she was not allowed to leave," Mr Brella said. "If the police had not said that to her, we would have booked the ticket and brought her home to India right away. There was nothing else stopping us."‌Northamptonshire Police has referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct due to the previous contact officers had with Harshita.A police spokesman said: 'Northamptonshire Police is liaising with the IOPC with regard to this allegation."The IOPC have previously conducted an independent inquiry into police contact with Harshita Brella and her husband Pankaj Lamba, prior to Harshita's death in November 2024."Article continues below