NEW DELHI: The arrest of Dr Ali Khan Mahmudabad, associate professor at Ashoka University, by Haryana Police has drawn sharp criticism from the students and the faculty. His detention on Sunday has sparked concerns over the erosion of academic freedom in India.
The varsity’s faculty association and student community issued a joint statement demanding Dr Mahmudabad’s immediate release, calling the arrest a “blatant violation of academic freedom.”
Students from his course Banish the Poets praised him for creating a safe space for critical thinking and open expression. “Professor Khan not only taught compassion, justice, and freedom of thought—he lived them,” the statement read.
On Tuesday, a coalition of national teachers’ bodies including AIPC, AIPSN, DTF, DTI, and IAFN held a press conference at the Press Club of India, denouncing what they called an “unlawful and targeted arrest.” Professor Surajit Mazumdar of JNUTA said, “This is not just an attack on an individual, but on the fundamental right to informed debate—central to democracy.”
Dr Uma Raag of DTI, who moderated the event, listed several other academics and intellectuals facing state action, many of whom remain imprisoned without trial.
The arrest has reignited debate around dissent and academic autonomy, with critics warning that such actions threaten India’s democratic ethos. The varsity shared an official statement earlier saying, “We have been made aware that Prof Ali Khan Mahmudabad has been taken into police custody. We are in the process of ascertaining case details. We will continue to cooperate with the police fully.”