Two pensioners have been arrested on suspicion of murder after a young woman went missing more than 30 years ago.

Detectives investigating the disappearance of Harbans Kaur Lally arrested a 75-year-old man on suspicion of murder and a 74-year-old woman on suspicion of conspiracy to murder in Gravesend on Monday.

A 53-year-old man was also arrested on the same day in Birmingham on suspicion of perjury.

He has been released under investigation and the other man and woman have been
released on police bail pending further enquiries.

The investigation comes as a result of information received by detectives that raises
concerns about Harbans’ disappearance and suspected murder.

Harbans, who was also known as Susan and had the maiden name Ranu, worked at the head office of the Burton Group in Harehills, Leeds, until April 1985.

She gave birth to a daughter in July that year at St James’s Hospital in Leeds and
was living at an address in the Meanwood area.

She was born in Rugby, Warwickshire, and grew up and went to school there. She
married there in February 1984 and moved to Leeds some time later.

She is believed to have returned to Rugby in 1985 and disappeared after that,
possibly after travelling to India. She was 19 at the time.

"We are currently trying to build up a picture of her life at the time she disappeared and we are very keen to hear from anyone with any information that could assist us" - DCI Nicola Bryar

As part of the investigation, detectives from West Yorkshire Police Homicide and Major Enquiry Team have carried out house-to-house enquiries in Bennett Street, in Rugby, where she and her family lived.

Detective Chief Inspector Nicola Bryar said: “We have recently received information that raises concerns about Harbans’ apparent disappearance, which we are now treating as a murder investigation.

“We are currently trying to build up a picture of her life at the time she disappeared
and we are very keen to hear from anyone with any information that could assist us.

“We would like to speak to anyone who knew Harbans, who was also known as
Susan, when she lived and worked in Leeds in 1984 to 1985, and also anyone who
knew her when she was growing up in Rugby, either through school or in the area
she lived.

"We are particularly interested to speak to anyone who knew her when she
returned there in 1985.

“We would like to reassure people that we will treat all information in the strictest
confidence and would urge anyone who does know something that could assist the
investigation to contact us.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact West Yorkshire Police Homicide and Major Enquiry Team on 101 quoting Operation Parryton or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.