Delhi Police have arrested a couple from West Bengal in connection with the murder of 49-year-old Delhi University professor Debosmita Paul. According to police, the murder was linked to a property dispute after Paul allegedly refused to sell a property she owned in Bardhaman.
Debosmita Paul, an assistant professor at Shivaji College, was found dead in her flat at Satyam Apartments in Vasundhara Enclave, East Delhi, on June 4. The accused, Ramprashad Das (42), his wife Banashree Das (36), and their minor son were later arrested from Burdwan, West Bengal.
Police said the family had been living in Paul’s ancestral property in Burdwan since 2023. The property had come into her possession through a family settlement. According to investigators, Paul had repeatedly asked the family to vacate the house, leading to an ongoing dispute between them.
Officials said Paul had recently given them a final notice to leave the property. Angered by this, the family allegedly planned her murder.
The accused travelled to Delhi on June 3 and stayed at a guest house in Dallupura. Police claimed they used the Aadhaar details of other people to avoid being identified. Investigators later traced them through guest house records and mobile phone surveillance.
According to the police, the accused visited Paul’s apartment and killed her after she refused to give in regarding the property matter. They allegedly locked the flat from outside and fled the scene. During the investigation, police recovered several items, including the victim’s mobile phone, a razor suspected to have been used in the crime, clothes, a cap, a backpack and train tickets.
The case was solved after police analysed CCTV footage from the apartment complex and nearby areas. The footage reportedly showed the suspects moving around the building with their faces covered and changing clothes in an apparent attempt to avoid detection.
After the murder, the family travelled by taxi and autorickshaw to Anand Vihar before reaching New Delhi Railway Station. They then boarded the Poorva Express and returned to Burdwan.
A Delhi Police team travelled to West Bengal and continued tracking the suspects using CCTV footage from Burdwan railway station. The accused were eventually located and arrested on June 7.
The crime came to light when Paul’s sister, Devarati Paul, became worried after she could not contact her. She went to the apartment, found it locked from the outside and broke open the lock. Inside, she discovered her sister’s body.
Police said there were no signs of forced entry or theft, which initially suggested that the victim knew the attackers. A case has been registered under Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and further investigation is ongoing.