Aligarh: Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) was rocked by violence on Wednesday after masked assailants shot dead Danish Rao, a teacher at AMU’s ABK High School, in a brazen attack inside the campus, triggering fresh concerns over security.
The incident took place in the Civil Lines police station area within the AMU campus, where the attackers allegedly confronted Rao and opened indiscriminate fire at close range. He was rushed to the JN Medical College in a critical condition, but doctors declared him dead on arrival.
According to police sources, the assailants issued a chilling threat moments before the attack, telling the teacher, “You didn’t know me earlier, but now you will,” before fleeing the scene on a scooter after firing multiple rounds.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Aligarh reached the spot along with heavy police deployment and AMU authorities soon after the incident. The area was cordoned off and a search operation was launched. Police have begun examining CCTV footage from across the university campus to identify and trace the attackers.
Following the killing, security across AMU has been significantly tightened, with additional police presence deployed at sensitive locations. Investigators are probing the motive behind the murder, and officials have assured that the accused will be arrested soon.
Family sources said Danish Rao had strong political connections, as his father-in-law is a former Congress विधायक from Thakurdwara. The family is considered politically influential in the region. Rao’s mother was a former teacher, while his father had also been associated with the institution. Originally from Bulandshahr, the family had been residing in Aligarh for several years.
The murder has sent shockwaves through the academic community, with faculty members and students expressing fear and anger over repeated incidents of violence on the campus.