Police have named the prime suspect after a woman was found dead in a car boot in Ilford.

An international manhunt has been launched to find Pankaj Lamba, following the murder of 24-year-old Harshita Brella.

Chief Inspector Paul Cash told a press conference in Kettering: “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.”

Harshita Brella was found inside the boot of a car parked in Brisbane Road, Ilford, in the early hours of Thursday (November 14).

The body was found after Northamptonshire Police was contacted on Wednesday (November 13) by a member of the public regarding the concern for the welfare of a woman in Corby, Northampton.

Officers were deployed to her home address in Skegness Walk and there was no answer, which launched a missing person investigation.

Eventually enquiries led officers to the parked car in Ilford, where her body was found.

The force previously said that it made a mandatory referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) due to previous contact between the force and the victim.

It was reported that a 28-day domestic violence protection order was in force in September to protect the victim, which banned the perpetrator of the violence from visiting Ms Brella’s workplace.

The person was prevented from molesting her, from threatening violence, or intimidating, harassing or pestering her, and also told not to encourage or instruct others to contact her in any way.

The order was served by Northamptonshire Police and implemented by magistrates.

No formal charges against the same person have since been recorded by the court and they were released following the court hearing but ordered to pay the full costs, according to reports.