A long-running dispute over a valuable ancestral property in West Bengal is suspected to be the motive behind the murder of a Delhi University assistant professor, with police alleging that a couple travelled from Bardhaman to Delhi and killed her after she refused to sell the property and repeatedly asked them to vacate it.
The victim, 49-year-old Delhi University professor Debosmita Paul, was found dead at her apartment in east Delhi’s Vasundhara Enclave. Police have since arrested a married couple from Bardhaman and apprehended their 13-year-old son in connection with the case.
Ancestral Property at Centre of Dispute
According to investigators, the accused family had been residing since 2023 in an ancestral property in Bardhaman that came to Paul’s share through a family settlement.
Police said the couple had repeatedly attempted to purchase the property. While some family members were reportedly open to selling, Paul allegedly opposed the move and insisted that the tenants vacate the premises.
Investigators believe her refusal to part with the property, described as part of her maternal grandfather’s legacy, became the central source of conflict.
“She refused to sell and became the primary obstacle in their plans to acquire the property,” a police officer involved in the investigation said.
Alleged Plot Hatched After Eviction Pressure
Police suspect the dispute escalated after Paul allegedly issued a final warning asking the family to vacate the property.
Investigators believe the couple then planned the murder and travelled to Delhi with their minor son in an attempt to appear as an ordinary family and avoid attracting attention.
The family arrived in Delhi on June 3 and checked into a guest house in Dallupura. During the investigation, police discovered that the couple had allegedly used Aadhaar cards belonging to unrelated individuals from Bihar and West Bengal while checking in, apparently to conceal their identities.
CCTV and Digital Trail Helped Crack Case
According to police, the suspects took several precautions to avoid detection. They allegedly changed clothes multiple times, used different routes within residential buildings, and alternated between taxis and autorickshaws to make tracking more difficult.
CCTV footage reportedly captured the masked couple entering Paul’s apartment complex in Vasundhara Enclave carrying bags and proceeding to her sixth-floor residence.
Investigators said the society’s security personnel did not record the visitors’ details when they entered the premises.
Murder Allegedly Occurred During Confrontation
During questioning, police learnt that Paul allowed the couple into her home and offered them water.
Investigators believe an argument broke out when the issue of the Bardhaman property resurfaced. According to police, the husband allegedly attacked the professor with a steel mortar, causing severe head injuries.
As she attempted to defend herself, he allegedly restrained her while his wife used a sharp-edged weapon to slash her hand.
Police said the attack occurred between 4 pm and 4.30 pm, and the couple’s minor son was present inside the flat at the time.
Authorities are still verifying conflicting statements regarding the weapon used in the crime.
Suspects Allegedly Tried to Erase Evidence
Investigators said the couple remained inside the apartment for nearly half an hour after the killing.
During that period, they allegedly changed clothes, attempted to remove evidence and then fled the scene.
The crime came to light the following afternoon when Paul’s sister discovered her body and alerted police.
Multi-State Manhunt Leads to Arrests
Following the murder, Delhi Police formed multiple teams to investigate the case. Officers conducted extensive CCTV analysis and technical surveillance to reconstruct the suspects’ movements.
The breakthrough reportedly came after investigators traced mobile numbers linked to the Aadhaar credentials used during the guest house stay.
A police team travelled to West Bengal on June 6 and tracked the suspects using CCTV footage and electronic evidence. The family was eventually located after being traced from Bardhaman railway station following their arrival on the Poorva Express.
On June 7, the couple, aged 42 and 36, along with their minor son, were apprehended and produced before a court for transit remand before being brought to Delhi.
Key Evidence Recovered
Police have recovered several items believed to be connected to the crime, including the professor’s mobile phone, a razor allegedly used during the attack, a backpack linked to the suspects, and clothing purportedly worn during the incident.
Investigators have also seized train tickets and other travel documents, which they believe will help establish the suspects’ movements before and after the murder.
A case has been registered under Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita relating to murder, and further investigation is ongoing.
