Masked Visitors, 30 Minutes, 1,400-Km Journey: How DU Professor's Murder Unfolded
Masked Visitors, 30 Minutes, 1,400-Km Journey: How DU Professor's Murder Unfolded Published By, Last Updated: June 08, 2026, 10:15 IST According to the police, the
Masked Visitors, 30 Minutes, 1,400-Km Journey: How DU Professor's Murder Unfolded Published By, Last Updated: June 08, 2026, 10:15 IST According to the police, the accused couple had been living since 2023 in Paul's ancestral property in Burdwan. Rapid Read Delhi University’s assistant professor Debosmita Paul was found dead inside her apartment on Thursday. DU Profssor Murder: Delhi Police on Sunday arrested a couple from West Bengal for the murder of 49-year-old Delhi University professor, Debosmita Paul, saying they travelled to Delhi and killed her after she refused to sell them a property she owned in Bardhaman. Debosmita Paul, an assistant professor at Shivaji College, was found dead in her flat at Satyam Apartments in East Delhi’s Vasundhara Enclave on June 4. The accused – Ramprashad Das (42), his wife Banashree Das (36) and their minor son – were tracked down and arrested from Burdwan in West Bengal after an intensive investigation involving CCTV analysis and technical surveillance. A Property Dispute Turns Bitter According to the police, the accused couple had been living since 2023 in Paul’s ancestral property in Burdwan, West Bengal. The house had reportedly come to the professor through a family settlement after her maternal grandfather’s death.
Police said that Paul had repeatedly asked the family to vacate the property and had recently issued a final warning. The couple allegedly wanted to retain control of the property, which was worth crores of rupees, leading to growing tensions. How Was The Crime Allegedly Planned? Investigators claim the accused travelled from Burdwan to Delhi on June 3 with the intention of killing her. Travelling nearly 1,400 kilometres from West Bengal to Delhi, the couple allegedly brought along their minor son to avoid attracting suspicion. The trio stayed at a guest house in Delhi and allegedly used Aadhaar details belonging to unrelated individuals to conceal their identities. The Murder On Wednesday, CCTV footage captured two masked visitors entering the housing complex where Paul lived in East Delhi’s Vasundhara Enclave. The couple arrived in a private cab carrying bags and took the stairs to reach the sixth-floor apartment. Because they were known to the victim, they were able to gain entry without raising suspicion, police said. Police alleged that the couple used a weapon they had brought with them to kill Paul inside her flat. The attack left the professor with a deep head injury and severed wrist veins.
About 30 minutes later, the accused were seen returning after changing clothes before leaving in the same cab that had been waiting outside. Body Discovered The next day, Paul’s sister, Devarati, alerted police after repeated calls to the professor went unanswered. Finding the flat locked from the outside, she broke in and discovered the body. Police found no signs of robbery. Jewellery, cash and other valuables were untouched, prompting investigators to focus on personal and property-related motives. The Investigation Delhi Police launched an extensive probe, analysing CCTV footage from the apartment complex and nearby areas. Investigators reviewed the movements of nearly 200 visitors who entered the housing society on the day of the murder and shortlisted 13 suspects for questioning. Seven police teams conducted raids across four states while tracing the suspects’ travel records and movements. A major breakthrough came after police identified the cab used by the accused and questioned the driver. CCTV footage also showed the suspects changing clothes and attempting to conceal their identities. Arrests in West Bengal Following the trail, a Delhi Police team travelled to Burdwan on June 6. After tracking the suspects from a railway station to their hideout, police arrested Ramprashad Das and Banashree Das on June 7.
Their minor son was apprehended under provisions of the Juvenile Justice Act. Police said they recovered the victim’s mobile phone, clothing, travel documents and a razor allegedly used in the crime. The accused are being brought to Delhi on transit remand for further questioning as investigators continue to piece together the details of the murder. (With inputs from agencies) News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit About the Author Shobhit Gupta Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degre... Read More Location: Delhi, India, India First Published: June 08, 2026, 10:15 IST News india Masked Visitors, 30 Minutes, 1,400-Km Journey: How DU Professor's Murder Unfolded Disclaimer: Comments reflect users’ views, not News18’s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments...
The BriefWire