Ali Khan Mahmudabad, a political scientist and associate professor at Ashoka University, was arrested on Sunday, May 18, following his critical social media post regarding Operation Sindoor. His post, published on May 8, pointed out what he called the “irony” in right-wing groups praising Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, who had briefed the media on the operation. Operation Sindoor was launched by India in retaliation to the Pahalgam terror attack. A complaint lodged by Yogesh Jatheri, BJP Yuva Morcha’s Haryana secretary, led to the professor being booked under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita related to inciting rebellion, disturbing communal harmony, and insulting religious beliefs.

Khan’s remarks, in which he also called for equal concern for victims of mob lynching and bulldozing incidents, were interpreted by the Haryana State Women’s Commission as offensive towards women officers in the armed forces and communal in nature. The commission accused him of spreading a narrative of “genocide” and “dehumanisation,” calling his post an act of promoting communal disharmony. Khan, however, strongly defended his statement, stating it had been misunderstood and manipulated to stifle dissent. He emphasized his support for the Indian armed forces and denounced the accusations as a misuse of free speech laws to censor academic voices.

In response, an open letter of solidarity signed by over 1,200 individuals, including academics, civil servants, and politicians, condemned the commission’s actions and demanded an apology. The letter accused the authorities of maliciously targeting Khan. Meanwhile, Ashoka University issued a statement distancing itself from the professor’s views, clarifying that his comments were personal and not representative of the institution’s stance. The incident has sparked fresh debate over freedom of expression, academic autonomy, and the narrowing space for critical voices in India’s public discourse.