A long-running dispute over a multi-crore ancestral property in West Bengal allegedly led to the murder of Delhi University assistant professor Debosmita Paul, with Delhi Police arresting a couple from Bardhaman and apprehending their 13-year-old son in connection with the crime, according to Abhay's Times of India report.Investigators said the family had been living since 2023 in an ancestral property in Bardhaman that had fallen to Paul's share following a family settlement. The couple allegedly wanted to acquire the property and had repeatedly approached the professor with purchase offers. While some family members were reportedly open to a sale, Paul remained opposed and had repeatedly asked the tenants to vacate."She refused to part with her maternal grandfather's legacy and became the primary obstacle in their plans to acquire the property. They allegedly harboured deep resentment," an officer said. Police said they are verifying the claims.According to investigators, tensions escalated after Paul issued a final notice asking the family to vacate the property. Police believe the couple subsequently conspired to kill her and travelled from Bardhaman to Delhi with their minor son as part of a plan to avoid suspicion and appear as an ordinary family.The trio arrived in Delhi on June 3 and checked into a guest house in Dallupura. During the probe, police found that the couple had allegedly used Aadhaar cards belonging to unrelated individuals from Bihar and West Bengal to conceal their identities. Investigators said the suspects also changed clothes multiple times, alternated between staircases and lifts, and switched between taxis and autorickshaws in an effort to evade surveillance.On Wednesday afternoon, the couple allegedly entered Paul's apartment complex in Vasundhara Enclave. CCTV footage showed two masked individuals carrying bags and heading to the sixth-floor apartment. Police said security personnel at the housing society did not record the visitors' details.During questioning, investigators learnt that Paul allowed the couple into her flat and offered them water. The conversation allegedly turned confrontational when she once again asked them to vacate the Bardhaman property.Police said the husband allegedly attacked the professor with a steel mortar, inflicting fatal head injuries. As she tried to resist, he allegedly restrained her while his wife used a sharp-edged weapon to slash her hand. Investigators believe the murder took place between 4 pm and 4.30 pm, with the couple's minor son present inside the room.“The husband claimed that he had brought the weapon from his hometown, while the woman stated that it was picked up from inside the house. We are verifying both versions,” a senior police officer said.Investigators said the accused remained inside the flat for nearly 30 minutes after the killing, during which they allegedly changed clothes and attempted to remove traces of evidence before fleeing.The crime came to light on Thursday afternoon when Paul's sister discovered her body and alerted police. Following the incident, Special Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Devesh Chandra Srivastava constituted multiple teams under the supervision of East Delhi DCP Rajeev Kumar to investigate the case.Joint Commissioner of Police (Eastern Range) Ajit Kumar Singla said extensive CCTV analysis and technical surveillance helped reconstruct the suspects' movements. Mobile numbers linked to the Aadhaar credentials used at the guest house were placed under surveillance, enabling investigators to trace the family's movements.A multi-state manhunt followed. A Delhi Police team travelled to West Bengal on June 6 and tracked the suspects through CCTV footage and technical evidence. The family was eventually traced after deboarding the Poorva Express at Bardhaman railway station and was located at its hideout.On June 7, police apprehended the couple, aged 42 and 36, along with their 13-year-old son. They were produced before a court for transit remand and are being brought to Delhi for further investigation.Police said the man ran a sanitary goods business in Bardhaman, while his wife was a homemaker. The family had been living in the disputed property since 2023 and was paying monthly rent of Rs 11,000.Investigators have recovered several pieces of evidence, including the professor's mobile phone, a razor allegedly used in the attack, a backpack linked to the suspects, and clothing and a cap believed to have been worn during the crime. Police also seized train tickets and other travel-related documents that they say will help establish the suspects' movements before and after the murder.A case under Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, dealing with murder, has been registered at New Ashok Nagar police station.(With TOI inputs)