The murder of a Delhi University assistant professor has taken a dramatic turn with the arrest of a Kolkata couple who allegedly travelled to the national capital to kill her before returning home. Investigators say a dispute over an ancestral property in Kolkata appears to be at the heart of the crime.
The 45-year-old academic, who had been serving as a permanent assistant professor at a Delhi University college in Raja Garden since 2023, was found dead in her apartment in east Delhi’s Vasundhara Enclave on Thursday. Police discovered severe head injuries on her body, along with slit wrists and multiple bruises, indicating a violent struggle before her death.
A property dispute turns deadly
According to Delhi Police, the arrested couple are distant relatives of the deceased and had been residing for several years as tenants in one of her family's ancestral properties in Kolkata.
According to the Hindustan Times, investigators say the couple wanted to purchase the property and believed the professor was the only family member standing in the way of the sale. While her parents and siblings were reportedly willing to sell the house because the family had long settled in Delhi, the professor opposed parting with the ancestral property.
Police allege that repeated attempts by the couple to secure her consent failed, leading to mounting resentment. Investigators believe this dispute eventually escalated into a murder plot.
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How the crime unfolded
According to police, the accused travelled from Kolkata to Delhi, allegedly murdered the professor on Wednesday and returned to West Bengal shortly afterwards in an attempt to evade suspicion.
According to the Hindustan Times, the crime came to light when the professor's elder sister, who lives in Mayur Vihar, became concerned after being unable to contact her. Upon reaching the apartment, she found the door locked and alerted the residents and the society's residents' welfare association.
The apartment was opened in the presence of RWA members, revealing the professor's body inside.
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Police trace accused to Kolkata
According to the Hindustan Times, following an investigation that examined family connections, property records and the movements of people linked to the victim, Delhi Police tracked the suspects to Kolkata.
The couple was arrested there and is now being brought to Delhi for further questioning. Investigators are expected to reconstruct the sequence of events, examine travel records and gather additional evidence to strengthen the case.
Police officials said the investigation remains ongoing, and further details regarding planning, execution and any possible assistance received by the accused are likely to emerge during custodial interrogation.
The case has once again highlighted how long-standing property disputes within families can sometimes escalate into violent crimes with tragic consequences.
