The murder of a Delhi University assistant professor has exposed a disturbing tale of obsession, resentment and a property dispute that allegedly escalated into a meticulously planned killing spanning more than 1,400 kilometres.
Debosmita Paul, an assistant professor at Shivaji College, was found dead inside her sixth-floor apartment in East Delhi’s Vasundhara Enclave on June 3. What initially appeared to be a shocking and mysterious murder soon turned into a complex investigation that led Delhi Police across multiple states and ultimately to a family in West Bengal.
According to investigators, the motive behind the murder was a long-running dispute over an ancestral property in Burdwan, West Bengal. The property had reportedly been allotted to Paul through a family settlement, but a family consisting of Ramprashad Das, his wife Banashree Das and their minor son had allegedly been living there since 2023. Police said Paul had repeatedly asked the family to vacate the premises, leading to growing tensions between the two sides.
Investigators believe the dispute reached a breaking point after Paul recently issued what was described as a final warning to the occupants to leave the property. Police allege that the family then hatched a plan to eliminate her permanently.
The accused allegedly travelled nearly 1,400 kilometres from Burdwan to Delhi with the sole intention of carrying out the murder. Officials said they arrived in the national capital on June 3 and stayed at a guest house in Dallupura before moving toward Paul’s residential complex.
Because the accused were already known to the victim, they reportedly entered the apartment without raising suspicion. Police believe this familiarity allowed them to gain access to the flat without resistance. Inside the residence, the attack allegedly took place, resulting in Paul’s death.
Investigators say the family made significant efforts to avoid detection. CCTV footage reviewed by police showed the suspects moving through the apartment complex while concealing their identities. They reportedly used both staircases and lifts at different stages and were later seen changing clothes after the crime.
The murder triggered a massive investigation by Delhi Police. Detectives examined footage from dozens of cameras in and around the housing complex and painstakingly reviewed the movements of nearly 200 visitors who had entered the premises on the day of the killing. Through this process, officers narrowed their focus to a small group of suspects.
A crucial breakthrough came when investigators tracked a cab driver who had transported the suspects after the murder. Analysis of travel records revealed that the accused fled the area using a combination of local transport before reaching Anand Vihar. From there, they travelled to New Delhi Railway Station and boarded the Poorva Express at around 5:40 pm on June 3.
Police said the suspects reached Burdwan the following day and attempted to blend back into normal life. However, investigators continued to trace their movements through CCTV footage, railway records and technical surveillance.
During the investigation, police discovered that the suspects had allegedly used Aadhaar credentials belonging to unrelated individuals while staying at the guest house in Delhi. Authorities believe the move was intended to hide their identities and mislead investigators. The discovery of these records helped police piece together the suspects’ route and establish their presence in Delhi before the crime.
The investigation soon expanded beyond Delhi. Seven police teams were deployed, carrying out raids and inquiries across four states. Hundreds of individuals were questioned as officers followed every possible lead.
The breakthrough finally came when a Delhi Police team travelled to West Bengal on June 6. Using CCTV footage from Burdwan railway station and other technical evidence, investigators tracked the suspects to their hideout.
On June 7, police arrested Ramprashad Das, 42, who runs a sanitary goods shop in Burdwan, and his wife Banashree Das, 36. Their minor son was also apprehended under provisions of the Juvenile Justice Act.
Police said they recovered several items linked to the crime, including a mobile phone belonging to the victim, a razor allegedly used during the attack, clothing, a backpack, a cap and travel-related documents. These recoveries are expected to play a key role in strengthening the prosecution’s case.
The murder has sent shockwaves through academic circles and among residents of Vasundhara Enclave, where Paul had been living alone following her separation from her husband in 2022. Her death has raised fresh concerns about property-related disputes and how such conflicts can spiral into extreme violence.
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Read MoreInvestigators are now working to establish the complete sequence of events leading up to the murder and determine the specific role played by each accused family member. The couple is being produced before a court for transit remand and will be brought to Delhi for further questioning.
As the investigation continues, the case stands as a grim reminder of how a bitter property dispute can evolve into a carefully planned crime that crosses state borders and leaves a trail of devastation behind.