Police sources said that while involvement of some prominent persons could not be ruled out, the crime was suspected to be handiwork of contract killers.

Meanwhile, from the list of phone numbers obtained by the police, it has learnt that calls from some senior government officials and a city-based industrialist were received by the principal yesterday before she was murdered.

Though the college has been closed for two days but many students and their parents visited the campus today after learning about the sensational murder.

While many teachers broke down and were inconsolable, others seemed to have been stunned into silence by the tragedy.

It is learnt almost entire hostel had been vacated by the students yesterday because of the on-going winter vacations with only a few girls left behind.

SP, City-I, S.K. Kalia, when contacted, said that they had been working on various angles, including that of a property dispute.

It is learnt that the principal had a number of properties in her name at various places in the city.

Rita Bawa was found murdered along with three others at her home yesterday morning. The four were killed with sharp edged weapons and the throat of the principal, Rita Bawa, was found badly slashed.