London (Parliament Politics Magzine) – An east London woman was found dead in a car boot, and police believe she was struck by someone she knew.
As reported by the Guardian, a murder investigation was undertaken by Northamptonshire police after the body of 24-year-old Harshita Brella was discovered inside the boot of a vehicle on Bristane Road, Ilford, in the early hours of Thursday morning.
How did authorities identify the circumstances surrounding Harshita Brella’s death?
According to Detective Ch. Insp. Johnny Campbell from the East Midlands Special Operations Major Crime Unit, detectives from his team and Northamptonshire police were “working around the clock” to verify the circumstances of Brella’s death, including the identical location and timeframe in which it took place.
He said:
“Although we believe Harshita was attacked by someone known to her, we are keeping an open mind and would appeal to anyone who knew her to contact us with any relevant information they may have. If you saw anything suspicious in the past week or have any information, no matter how small, please contact us. We would always rather receive well-meaning information that turns out to be nothing as opposed to not receiving it all.”
Northamptonshire police have also created a mandatory referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) because of an earlier connection between the force and Brella, who lived in Skegness Walk, Corby.
What was the initial concern that led to the discovery of Brella’s body?
Supt Steve Freeman of Northamptonshire police stated police were called by a member of the public concerned about the woman’s welfare, adding:
“Fast-track inquiries were made which sadly led to the discovery of a woman’s body inside the boot of a vehicle in the Ilford area of London. We are treating the death as suspicious and a murder investigation has been launched.”
He stated that although police considered it was a “targeted incident” and there was no vaster risk to members of the public, extra patrols would be taking place in Corby in the coming days for reassurance objectives.