New Delhi, June 7 (IANS) A couple from West Bengal has been arrested for the murder of a Delhi University Assistant Professor, three days after the crime took place, officials said on Sunday.

The Delhi Police said that the motive behind the murder was a property dispute and the accused couple had travelled from Bengal to Delhi to commit the crime.

Debosmita Paul, an Assistant Professor at Shivaji College, University of Delhi, was found dead in a flat at Satyam Apartments in Vasundhara Enclave in east Delhi on June 4. Findings suggested that the murder took place a day earlier, on June 3.

The Delhi Police had earlier found a man and a woman, both concealing their identities with masks and carrying bags, entering the residence of the professor on June 3, the day she is believed to have been killed, and reportedly remained inside for nearly half an hour before leaving.

According to sources associated with the investigation, the duo arrived at the residential complex in a private cab at around 3.20 p.m. on June 3. While the cab driver remained outside, a man and a woman carrying bags reportedly entered the apartment building.

CCTV footage allegedly showed the pair avoiding the lift and using the staircase to reach the flat.

Investigators suspect that the duo spent nearly half an hour inside the premises before leaving. Sources further claimed that they appeared to be wearing different clothes when they exited the building.

Initial examination of the crime scene revealed no signs of forced entry, leading investigators to believe that the victim may have known the person or persons who entered her home. This possibility has strengthened the theory of a “friendly entry,” where the victim voluntarily allowed the visitors inside.

Paul had been living alone in her sister’s apartment. She had separated from her husband in 2022 following marital disputes, and he currently resides in Bengaluru.

The case came to light after her sister, Devarati Paul, became concerned when repeated phone calls went unanswered. Upon reaching the apartment, she found it locked from the outside. After entering the flat, she discovered Debosmita’s body lying in a pool of blood and immediately informed the police.

According to investigators, the victim sustained a severe head injury caused by a heavy object. Police also found injuries on her wrist.

–IANS

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