New Delhi: A couple from Bardhaman in West Bengal was arrested for the alleged murder of Delhi University (DU) assistant professor Devosmita Paul in her flat at Satyam Apartments in East Delhi’s Vasudhara Enclave on Wednesday.
The couple allegedly travelled 1,400 km from home to commit the crime. The motive is suspected to be a property dispute.
Devosmita, an assistant professor at Shivaji College, was found murdered in her flat on Wednesday. After successive raids, the police finally reached Bardhaman, from where they arrested the two accused.
The two allegedly visited Delhi under the pretext of meeting the victim. Devosmita had separated in 2022, five years into the marriage, and had been living alone in the flat while her husband was in Bengaluru.
The accused were caught on CCTV visiting her flat on Wednesday, wearing masks. They arrived in a private cab with some bags and used the stairs instead of the lift to reach the sixth floor. They brought their child along to avoid raising
suspicion. They had a friendly entry in the house and murdered the victim using a weapon that they had brought with them, officials said, as reported by The Times of India.
CCTV cameras captured the couple again when they left the flat 30 minutes later after changing clothes. They left in a cab that had been waiting downstairs, sources said.
While the identities of the alleged killers were not known immediately, the cab driver was detained and his ride details were accessed to identify the passengers.
The police shortlisted at least 13 suspects from 200 individuals who had visited the housing complex on Wednesday and were questioned. Seven police teams also conducted raids across four states and questioned hundreds of people.
Investigation revealed that Devosmita owned a property in West Bengal that she had inherited after her maternal grandfather’s death. The property was worth crores of rupees.
The accused were tenants in that house and had been trying to acquire it. Devosmita, however, had been pressuring them to leave the house. This made the couple plot her murder in a bid to acquire the property, officials said.
The murder came to light on Thursday after Devosmita’s sister Devarati informed the cops that her sister had been found dead. The police said that her flat had been locked from the outside. Devarati had to break open the door after repeated calls to her sister went unanswered.
The assistant professor was found dead inside with a deep injury on her head and severed veins in her wrist, officials said, adding that there was no sign of robbery since jewellery and cash were found untouched in the house.