NEW DELHI: What began as a routine meeting inside a residential flat turned into a brutal murder of Delhi University assistant professor Debosmita Paul, with police revealing that she had “welcomed them in and offered water” to the couple now accused of killing her.

The incident, cops say, stems from a long-running dispute over a multi-crore ancestral property in West Bengal that allegedly became the motive for the crime.Police have arrested a couple from Bardhaman and detained their 13-year-old son, who was reportedly brought along to Delhi in an attempt to “blend in” as a normal family. According to officials, the family had been staying in a property linked to Paul’s share in a family settlement and had repeatedly tried to persuade her to sell it, but she refused and asked them to vacate.Investigators say tensions escalated after a final eviction warning, following which the couple allegedly planned the attack and travelled to Delhi using forged identity details.

They checked into a guest house and later reached the Vasundhara Enclave apartment where the professor lived.CCTV footage and police interrogation suggest the couple entered the flat after being received by Paul, who offered them water during the conversation.

The meeting reportedly turned violent shortly after a fresh dispute over the property, leading to her killing inside the apartment in east Delhi.Police said the suspects attempted to evade detection by using fake Aadhaar-linked identities, multiple modes of transport, and careful movement patterns while travelling between West Bengal and Delhi.A manhunt across states eventually led investigators to West Bengal, where the accused were traced and apprehended before being brought to Delhi for further interrogation. Officials said multiple forensic and digital evidence, including mobile tracking and CCTV analysis, helped reconstruct their movements before and after the crime.A case has been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita at New Ashok Nagar police station, and further investigation is underway.