Pictured: Ilford murder victim Harshita Brella, 24, who was found dead in the boot of a car in East London a day after she was reported missing – as police say she was attacked by someone known to her

A woman who was discovered murdered in the boot of a car in east London has been named by police, as they claim she was attacked by ‘someone known to her’.

Harshita Brella was reported missing on November 13 by the authorities after Northamptonshire Police conducted a welfare check at her home in Skegness Walk, Corby and got no answer. 

Tragically a day later the 24-year-old was discovered in the boot of a vehicle on Brisbane Road, Ilford.

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

No arrests have yet been made, but the police have said that they believe Harshita was attacked by ‘someone known to her’, although they are keeping at ‘open mind’. 

The force has claimed that the incident is an isolated one and there is no wider threat to the public.

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

Locals in Ilford have described the ‘horrific’ moment police swooped on the car in which the body of Harshita Brella was discovered.

Forensic officers spent hours at the scene of the car and only yesterday removed a tent and forensic scene.

And police have been asking locals whether they had seen any suspicion activity in the area – especially relating to men.

One local told MailOnline: ‘Officers swarmed all over the street and were here for hours. It looked incredibly serious.

‘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. I’ve felt sick. She must have gone through so much pain.

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

Another said: ‘It’s a mystery how she ended up here. The poor woman.

‘Officers asked me if I’d seen anything suspicious, they basically asked if any dodgy men had been in the area.

‘They seem to suggest they know who did it. From what they said to me I bet it sounds like a man who knew her. They seemed to want to know about men in particular.’

Shop worker Paul Sidebottom, 54, said police had spent hours in the street and had asked locals for CCTV.

He said: ‘Our shop CCTV hasn’t shown anything.

‘They asked if I’d seen or heard anything. They seemed very concerned.’

One neighbour at Harshita home in Corby told the Northampton Chronicle that the house she lived in had been used as an HMO (house in multiple occupation), and at one point last year had 12 people living in it, although it is not currently on the council’s HMO register.

The number of occupants has since reduced. The neighbour said she believed that the house had Bulgarian, Moldovan and Portuguese residents and had been largely peaceful since some noise complaints were resolved last year.

But earlier this week she heard a commotion: ‘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.’

Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Chief Inspector Johnny Campbell from the East Midlands Special Operations Major Crime Unit (EMSOU), said: ‘First of all, I want to express my heartfelt condolences to everyone who loved Harshita Brella.

‘She was a young woman in her early 20s with her whole life ahead of her and it is absolutely tragic that her life has been cut short in this way.

‘Detectives from EMSOU and Northamptonshire Police are working around the clock to establish the circumstances behind her death, including the exact location and timeframe in which it took place.’

DCI Campbell is appealing to anyone who may have information about this incident to come forward.

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.’

Anyone who may have information that could assist police inquiries is asked to contact police on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.