Ali Khan Mahmudabad, an associate professor at Ashoka University, has been arrested in connection with remarks made on social media about Operation Sindoor, according to police.
The arrest was made following a complaint submitted by a leader of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha on Saturday. Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Rai, Ajeet Singh confirmed the arrest, stating, &ldquo;Ali Khan Mahmudabad has been arrested from Delhi. He has been arrested in connection with some comments connected with Operation Sindoor.&rdquo;
The action comes shortly after the Haryana State Commission for Women issued a notice to Mahmudabad over his remarks. The notice, dated May 12, stated that the Commission had taken suo motu cognisance of the &lsquo;public statements/remarks&rsquo; made &lsquo;on or about May 7&rsquo; by Mahmudabad, who heads the political science department at Ashoka University in Sonipat.
Commenting on the matter, Commission chairperson Renu Bhatia said, &ldquo;We salute the country's daughters -- Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh. But the kind of words the professor who teaches political science has used for them... I expected that he would at least present himself before the commission today and express regret.&rdquo;
The Commission attached Mahmudabad&rsquo;s remarks to the notice, highlighting one post in which he stated that right-wing supporters praising Colonel Qureshi should also call for justice for victims of mob lynchings and the 'arbitrary' demolition of properties. In another comment, he referred to the media briefings given by Colonel Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh as &ldquo;optics&rdquo;, writing, &ldquo;But optics must translate to reality on the ground otherwise it's just hypocrisy.&rdquo;
The Commission said its initial review of Mahmudabad&rsquo;s statements raised concerns about &ldquo;the disparagement of women in uniform, including Col Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh and undermining their role as professional officers in the Indian Armed Forces.&rdquo;
Wing Commander Singh and Colonel Qureshi had addressed a media briefing alongside Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri following Operation Sindoor. The Indian armed forces launched the operation in the early hours of May 7, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam.
In response to the controversy, Ashoka University issued a statement clarifying its stance. &ldquo;Comments made by a faculty member on his personal social media pages do not represent the opinion of the university. These statements have been made by him independently in his individual capacity,&rdquo; the university said.&nbsp;
It further stated, &ldquo;Ashoka University and all members of the Ashoka community are proud of India's armed forces and support them unequivocally in their actions towards maintaining national security. We stand in solidarity with the nation and our forces.&rdquo;
Following the developments, Mahmudabad responded on X, claiming that the Commission had misunderstood his statements. &ldquo;...I am surprised that the Women's Commission, while overreaching its jurisdiction, has misread and misunderstood my posts to such an extent that they have inverted their meaning,&rdquo; he posted.
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Ashoka University professor arrested after remarks on Operation Sindoor draw complaint and women's panel notice.

Ashoka Univ Professor Held Over Op Sindoor Post Remarks

Ashoka University professor arrested after remarks on Operation Sindoor draw complaint and women's panel notice.

May 18, 2025 | 16:28 IST