'She Was The Only Obstacle': How A Multi-Crore Bengal Property Drove A Couple To Kill A DU Professor
'She Was The Only Obstacle': How A Multi-Crore Bengal Property Drove A Couple To Kill A DU Professor Published By, Edited By Last Updated: June
'She Was The Only Obstacle': How A Multi-Crore Bengal Property Drove A Couple To Kill A DU Professor Published By, Edited By Last Updated: June 08, 2026, 16:11 IST A couple renting DU professor Debosmita Paul's ancestral Bardhaman property for Rs 11,000 a month allegedly killed her after she refused to hand it over to them. DU professor Debosmita Paul murder: The 49-year-old professor was found dead on Thursday afternoon by her sister, who alerted police. A multi-crore ancestral property in West Bengal allegedly drove a Bardhaman couple to travel to Delhi with their teenage son and murder Delhi University assistant professor Debosmita Paul inside her Vasundhara Enclave apartment, police said. The 49-year-old professor was found dead on Thursday afternoon by her sister, who alerted police around 2.30 pm. Investigators believe the couple had been living since 2023 in a Bardhaman property that had fallen to Paul’s share through a family settlement, paying a monthly rent of Rs 11,000. They had repeatedly approached her to purchase it — but while Paul’s siblings were reportedly open to a sale, the professor refused to part with what police describe as her maternal grandfather’s legacy.
When she issued a final warning asking the family to vacate, investigators believe the couple conspired to eliminate her. How Did They Plan The Murder? The couple travelled from Bardhaman to Delhi with their 13-year-old son — brought along, police say, to help them blend in as an ordinary family. They arrived in Delhi on June 3 and checked into a guest house in Dallupura using Aadhaar cards belonging to unrelated individuals from Bihar and West Bengal to conceal their identities. They allegedly changed clothes multiple times, switched between taxis and autorickshaws, and used both staircases and lifts to evade CCTV tracking. What Happened Inside The Flat? ~4 pm, Wednesday Masked couple enters Paul’s apartment complex carrying bags; CCTV captures their movement to the sixth floor Inside the flat Paul lets them in and offers water; conversation turns to the Bardhaman property dispute Confrontation Paul again asks them to vacate; argument escalates into physical attack First attack Husband allegedly strikes Paul with a steel mortar, causing severe head injuries Second attack As Paul resists, wife allegedly uses a sharp-edged weapon to slash her hand 4 pm – 4.30 pm Murder takes place; minor son is present in the room throughout Post-murder Couple spends ~30 minutes inside — changing clothes and attempting to remove evidence Flight Both flee the scene; building security had not recorded their entry details Next day, 2.30 pm Paul’s sister finds her dead inside the apartment and alerts police How Were They Caught?
Mobile numbers linked to the fake Aadhaar credentials used at the guest house were placed under electronic surveillance, helping investigators reconstruct the couple’s trail. Delhi Police launched a multistate manhunt, flying a team to West Bengal on June 6. The suspects were traced to Bardhaman railway station after deboarding the Poorva Express and arrested from their hideout on June 7. They are currently being brought to Delhi on transit remand. What Evidence Did Police Recover? Investigators recovered Paul’s mobile phone, a razor allegedly used in the attack, a backpack linked to the suspects, the clothes and cap purportedly worn during the crime, and onward and return train tickets. A case under Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita has been registered at New Ashok Nagar police station. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers,...
Read More First Published: June 08, 2026, 16:09 IST News cities new-delhi-news 'She Was The Only Obstacle': How A Multi-Crore Bengal Property Drove A Couple To Kill A DU Professor 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...
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