A 43-year-old assistant professor at a prominent Delhi University college was found murdered inside her flat in east Delhi's Vasundhara Enclave on Thursday afternoon, police said, triggering an intensive investigation into the killing.
Investigators said the woman suffered a severe head injury, while both her wrists had been slit. Bruises were also found on her face and other parts of her body, indicating that a struggle may have taken place before her death. Officials noted that there were no signs of forced entry into the flat, leading investigators to suspect that the assailant was someone known to her.
The woman lived alone in the apartment, police said. She had been separated from her husband, who is based in Bengaluru, and the couple had been involved in divorce proceedings for the past four years, reported Hindustan Times.
Sister Discovers Body After Repeated Calls Go Unanswered
The incident came to light when the victim's 49-year-old sister became concerned after receiving no response to repeated phone calls. She subsequently travelled to the flat to check on her.
According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Rajiv Kumar, the New Ashok Nagar police station received a call at around 2.35 pm from the victim's sister reporting the murder.
"The complainant said that her sister had not been responding to phone calls since the morning. Suspecting something untoward, she arrived at her sister's flat and found it locked from the outside. She broke open the lock and found her sister dead on the floor," Kumar said.
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Police Launch Murder Investigation
A senior police officer said the victim's elder sister, who lives with her family in Mayur Vihar, was the first family member to reach the apartment. After finding the door locked, she informed local residents, who then contacted the society's residents welfare association (RWA).
The lock was broken in the presence of RWA members, following which the body was discovered inside the flat. Police and forensic teams later reached the scene and began collecting evidence.
Kumar said samples were gathered from the apartment and the body was sent to the mortuary at Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital for a post-mortem examination. Police have registered a case of murder under Section 103 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and constituted multiple teams to identify and arrest the offender.
Colleagues Shocked by Sudden Death
Senior officers said the woman had been appointed as a permanent assistant professor at her current college in Raja Garden in 2023. Before that, she had served as an ad hoc professor at another Delhi University college.
Family members informed investigators that she had sent medicines to her mother shortly before the incident.
A professor from her college said she had been scheduled to appear for a promotion interview on Thursday but did not attend. Colleagues later learned of her death.
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College Community Mourns Loss
According to a faculty member, the principal's personal assistant had attempted to contact her, but nobody from the college had been able to reach her since around 4 pm on Wednesday.
"We were told that the principal's personal assistant had tried to contact her, but no one from the college had been able to reach her since around 4pm on Wednesday. On Thursday afternoon, we received the news that she had passed away," the professor said.
Describing her as a private individual, the colleague said she had spent many years working as a guest lecturer before securing a permanent faculty position. The professor added that while colleagues were aware of an ongoing matrimonial legal dispute, she generally kept her personal life private.
The college principal expressed grief over the incident, calling it a devastating loss for the institution.
"I am deeply shocked. She joined our institution only a few years ago and was a reserved yet highly dedicated professional. This is a deeply distressing loss for our college community," the principal said.