DU Assistant Professor Found Dead in East Delhi Flat; Police Probe Underway

PTI, June 5, 2026, New Delhi : A Delhi University Assistant Professor was found murdered in her flat in East Delhi's Vasundhara Enclave, police said on Friday.

The Delhi Police have launched a detailed investigation and are examining CCTV footage, along with tracing individuals who may have visited the residence in the days leading up to the incident.

According to Delhi Police, a PCR call was received at New Ashok Nagar Police Station at around 2:35 p.m. on June 4. The caller, a woman, reported that her sister had been murdered and her body was lying inside a flat at Satyam Apartment in Vasundhara Enclave.

A police team immediately reached the spot, where the complainant, identified as Devarati Paul, informed officers that her sister, Devosmita Paul, an Assistant Professor at Shivaji College, University of Delhi, had been living alone in the flat.

Police said the complainant told them that the flat had been locked from the outside since the morning and that the deceased was not responding to repeated phone calls. Growing suspicious, she broke open the lock and found her sister lying dead inside the apartment.

According to police, the deceased had been living alone in the flat for the past four to five years and primarily relied on online delivery services for daily essentials.

Delhi Police sources said the professor had last spoken to her mother over the phone. Later, when her sister tried to contact her, her phone remained switched off. After repeated unsuccessful attempts to reach her, the sister visited the flat, where she discovered the body.

The body has been shifted to LBS Hospital for preservation and post-mortem examination. A case has been registered under Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at New Ashok Nagar Police Station.

The death of the assistant professor has left colleagues and students in shock, with her college principal describing her as a dedicated teacher who showed no visible signs of distress in the days leading up to her death.

Expressing grief over the loss, Shivaji College Principal Virender Bhardwaj said Paul had become an integral part of the institution during her two-and-a-half-year tenure.

"She was sensitive, hardworking and had an affinity for the arts. While she was introverted, she was always very enthusiastic about cultural activities and would often accompany our students wherever they participated," Bhardwaj said.

He said Paul had previously taught at Maharaja Agrasen College before joining Shivaji College.

"She was with us for about two and a half years and was already a part of the college family. On Thursday, the college office tried to contact her regarding some routine work. When they could not reach her, I also tried calling her, but we received no response," he said.

The principal said Paul had never appeared stressed and had not displayed any visible signs that would have raised concern among colleagues.

"None of us knew anything. She never seemed stressed or showed any visible signs of distress," he said.

In a condolence message issued on Friday, Shivaji College described Paul's death as an "irreparable loss" to her family, the academic community and the college fraternity.

"In this hour of grief, we stand in solidarity with her family and loved ones," the message further read.

Photo: Police personnel outside Satyam Apartment in Vasundhara Enclave, East Delhi, where Assistant Professor Devosmita Paul was found dead.