Tragic last movies of Harshita Brella present ‘very pleased’ bride on her wedding ceremony day to fugitive husband, 23, in New Delhi simply months earlier than her physique was present in automotive boot

Tragic final videos show ‘very happy’ bride Harshita Brella on her wedding day eight months before her body was found in a car boot in Ilford, east London.

The 24-year-old was found dead in the early hours of Thursday, with police launching an international manhunt for her husband, Pankaj Lamba, 23, who they believe has fled the country. 

The video, taken when she tied the knot with Lamba at a Hindu ceremony in northern India, shows them performing traditional rituals seated on the floor, surrounded by family and friends.

With her head covered in a red veil, Ms Brella is seated to the left of Lamba, who is wearing a white turban and traditional white tunic with a garland of flowers around his neck.

Alongside them is an elderly male relative, believed to be Ms Brella’s father, who is performing a ritual known as kanyadaan – the giving away of the bride.

Ms Brella, from Corby, is thought to have been killed earlier this month before being stuffed inside a car boot.

It comes after neighbours revealed they heard banging and shouting coming from the couple’s Northamptonshire home days before her death.

Police Chief Inspector Paul Cash said: ‘Our inquiries lead us to suspect that Harshita was murdered 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.’

In other videos seen by MailOnline, Ms Brella, wearing an elaborate wedding lehenga – an ankle length skirt worn by brides in India – is filmed looking nervous while decked out in stunning jewellery, bright red bangles and with her head covered.

She holds her chest as she pants for breath, while a caption reads: ‘That nervousness after becoming bride.’

Another video shows her being blessed by her older sister after the ceremony. The caption reads: ‘Your sister is not less than a mother.’

The footage, accompanied by a variety of traditional songs in Hindi, captures the elaborate ceremonies the couple underwent to solemnise their marriage, spanning  several days.

In one, Ms Brella dances with her young nephew, who claps playfully as he looks up at her.

Another shows her being hugged by an elderly man believed to be her father as she prepares to enter a car and leave the wedding venue after her marriage.

A caption reads: ‘Toughest moment for a daughter or papa.’  

A spokesperson for the company that did her wedding make-up told MailOnline: ‘[Ms Brella] came to our studio for the make-up ahead of her wedding, which some brides choose to do.

‘She was like any young bride, filled with a mixture of nervousness and excitement, and you can see that in the videos that were posted. But she did say that she was looking forward to the future.

‘She paid around 30,000 Rupees (£300) and was very happy with our work but after that we had no contact with her. It’s been very shocking to hear that she’s been killed in the UK because I know she was happy about starting a new life there with her husband.’

Neighbours have revealed they heard a woman sounding ‘scared’ during a row days before the body of Harshita Brella was discovered 90 miles away from her home.

Kelly Philip, 41, who lived near Ms Brella, said she overheard an argument between a man and a woman on Wednesday.

She told the Mirror: ‘They were arguing in a different language so I couldn’t understand what was being said.

‘But it sounded angry and there were raised voices and the woman sounded scared.

‘I heard a commotion between a man and a woman and I heard banging around. I didn’t call police. I just thought it was a relationship argument.’

She described feeling ‘vulnerable’ and ‘on edge’ after learning about the fate of her neighbour, adding: ‘I feel so sad about the loss of the lass. I can’t get over it – I can’t believe it.’

Ms Philip said she had also overheard two men arguing in a foreign language early on Saturday, shortly after she heard a back gate slam shut.

The murder probe follows alarms being raised last Wednesday when police received a call regarding concerns over Ms Brella’s welfare. 

Officers were sent round to her home address, but received no answer at the door. 

A missing person investigation was launched and, after enquiries were fast-tracked, her body was found some 95.7 miles away from the shared house she lived in.

Detectives have appealed for anyone with information to get in touch as soon as possible.

More than 60 detectives are working on the case, police said.

Yesterday, police confirmed Ms Brella was previously the victim of domestic violence and in early September was made subject of a Domestic Violence Protection Order (DVPO), served by Northamptonshire Police.

The 28-day DVPO banned the perpetrator of the violence from visiting Ms Brella’s workplace, while they were also prevented from molesting her, threatening violence, or intimidating, harassing or pestering her, and also told not to encourage or instruct others to contact her in any way.

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.

Yesterday, forensic officers in protective wear were seen visiting Ms Brella’s home while uniformed police guarded the property.

Mr Cash said of the victim: ‘On behalf of Northamptonshire Police, I would like to express my deepest and heartfelt condolences to Harshita’s family and friends, and to everyone who knew and loved her.

‘Harshita was a young woman in her early 20s, with her whole life ahead of her and everything to live for, and it is absolutely tragic that her life has been cut short in this way.’

One local resident in Ilford told MailOnline: ‘They seemed to be focusing on a car. It’s horrific. It’s quite an unsafe area.

‘That poor woman must have gone through hell. It’s deeply shocking. She must have gone through so much pain.’

They continued: ‘Officers swarmed all over the street and were here for hours. It looked incredibly serious.

‘There was screaming on the street earlier in the week. It’s rough around here so I didn’t bat an eyelid. There’s always drug dealing and attacks and all sorts.’ 

A forensic postmortem examination, which took place at Leicester Royal Infirmary on Friday, confirmed that Harshita had been murdered.

A neighbour at Harshita’s home in Corby told the Northampton Chronicle that the house the young woman lived in had been used as an HMO (house in multiple occupation), and at one point last year had 12 people living in it.

The number of occupants has since reduced and the neighbour said she believed that the house had Bulgarian, Moldovan and Portuguese residents.

The property had been largely peaceful since some noise complaints were resolved last year, the neighbour added. 

But she said that earlier this week she heard a commotion, adding: ‘The way that gate slammed I knew something had happened. Someone took off quickly.

‘I had heard banging coming from the house and then they obviously just legged it. The police have been here about four days.’

Northamptonshire Police have also referred themselves to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) due to previous contact they had with the victim. 

The force said officers were satisfied there was no wider risk to the public as a result of this incident, but said extra patrols will be taking place in Corby in the coming days ‘for reassurance purposes’.

Anyone with any concerns is welcome to approach one of these officers who will be happy to help, Northamptonshire Police added.