Kolkata to Delhi to kill a relative, then back: How couple held for DU professor's murder planned to evade scrutiny

A property dispute over an ancestral home in West Bengal escalated tragically, leading to the murder of a Delhi University assistant professor by two distant relatives who were tenants on her property. Police have arrested the couple, who allegedly traveled 1,400 kilometers to Delhi to commit the crime.

The 45-year-old professor was found dead in her East Delhi apartment with severe head injuries and slit wrists. Investigators stated that the accused couple had been living as tenants in the professor's ancestral property in Burdwan since 2023. The deceased had repeatedly asked them to vacate the premises, which led to a prolonged dispute.

According to police, the couple desired to purchase the property. While other family members were amenable to selling, the professor was reportedly against the decision, particularly regarding the sale of their Kolkata house to the tenants. Her opposition made her the primary obstacle for the couple, who allegedly conspired to eliminate her after their repeated requests for consent were denied.

Police revealed that the accused couple traveled to Delhi on June 3, armed and prepared to carry out the murder. They gained entry into the professor's sixth-floor apartment without resistance, as they were known to her. CCTV footage later showed the couple, accompanied by their minor son, moving through the building while attempting to conceal their identities.

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The professor, however, was against the family decision of selling their ancestral property. She was also against selling their Kolkata house to the tenant couple. The couple found her the main hurdle. The two were enraged because despite their repeated requests, the professor was not giving her consent for selling the house. And because of that reason they travelled to Delhi, killed her on Wednesday, and returned to Kolkata.