Masked Man, Woman Caught On CCTV At DU Professor's Apartment Complex Day Before She Was Found Dead

Police probing the murder of Delhi University assistant professor Devosmita Paul are examining CCTV footage showing two masked individuals entering her housing complex on the day she was killed.

Delhi University assistant professor Devosmita Paul was found murdered in her apartment.

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Two masked individuals were captured on CCTV cameras entering the apartment complex in East Delhi's Vasundhara Enclave where Delhi University assistant professor Devosmita Paul was found murdered.

According to a report by The Indian Express, CCTV footage from the entrance of Satyam Apartment recorded a man and a woman, both with their faces covered, entering the complex on Wednesday afternoon. They allegedly remained inside the premises for around 40-45 minutes before leaving.

Officials are examining whether the two were connected. The footage reportedly shows the man walking ahead of the woman at several points, making it difficult to establish if they were operating together, the report said, citing police sources. 

Murder Believed To Have Occurred On Wednesday Afternoon

Paul, who taught at Shivaji College, was found dead inside her apartment on Thursday. Preliminary findings suggest she suffered fatal head injuries after being struck with a blunt object.

The post-mortem examination has placed the likely time of death between 3 pm and 6 pm on Wednesday, prompting investigators to focus on activities in and around the apartment during those hours. Investigators are attempting to reconstruct the victim's movements and identify anyone who may have visited her residence during that time.

According to The Indian Express, call records indicate that her final phone conversation was with her mother at around 12.30 pm on Wednesday. Family members reportedly told investigators that nothing unusual was discussed during the call. 

Police Examining CCTV, Mobile Data

As part of the investigation, police teams are collecting footage from nearby roads and neighbouring residential societies in an effort to trace the suspects' movements before and after their visit to the complex.

Technical surveillance units have also begun analysing mobile phone data from the area to identify devices that were active around the estimated time of the murder.

Investigators believe these digital leads could help establish who entered the locality and whether the suspects had any prior connection to the victim.

Police reportedly found no signs of theft or ransacking inside the flat. No valuables were reported missing, leading investigators to believe that robbery was unlikely to be the motive behind the crime.

Sister Alerted Police

The case came to light after Paul's sister, Devarati Paul, visited the apartment on Thursday and found it locked from the outside. Growing suspicious, she broke open the lock and entered the flat, where she discovered her sister's body, police said.

Paul lived alone in the apartment, while her husband is based in Bengaluru.

On Thursday afternoon, police received a PCR call from her sister, Devarati Paul, after she discovered the body.

Delhi Police have registered a case under Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, pertaining to murder, and are investigating the case from all angles.

According to sources quoted by The Indian Express, the professor maintained a relatively private life and interacted with a limited circle of people, a detail investigators believe could be crucial as they work to identify suspects and establish a motive behind the killing.