The attackers short dead the teacher near the Maulana Azad Library of the AMU, hitting Ali multiple times before fleeing on a two-wheeler, police said.
BY PC Bureau
December 25, 2025: A computer science teacher at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) was shot dead by two unidentified assailants on campus on Wednesday evening, triggering panic and outrage at one of India’s most prominent educational institutions and raising fresh questions about campus security.
The victim, Rao Danish Ali, also known as Danish Rao, 43, was attacked around 8:50 pm near the Maulana Azad Library and its adjoining canteen area in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh. The spot is a busy zone on campus and part of Ali’s regular post-dinner evening walk.
According to police and eyewitnesses, Ali was walking with two colleagues when two masked men arrived on a scooter or motorcycle. The attackers allegedly brandished pistols, threatened the group, and opened fire, specifically targeting Ali. He was hit by multiple bullets—at least three, including two in the head—though some accounts put the number of shots fired at five.
Bystanders and colleagues rushed Ali to the Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College on the AMU campus, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.
READ:
A teacher was shot dead by armed men inside Aligarh Muslim University.
Rao Danish Hilal, a teacher at ABK Union High School located within Aligarh Muslim University (#AMU), was shot dead by unidentified bike-borne attackers near the Kennedy Hall canteen on the campus at around 9… pic.twitter.com/6cVeFJbCus
— Hate Detector 🔍 (@HateDetectors) December 25, 2025
Confirming the incident, AMU Proctor Professor Mohd. Wasim Ali said, “Around 9 pm, we received information about a shooting near the library. The injured person was identified as Rao Danish Ali, a teacher at our ABK Union High School. He was shot in the head and succumbed at the medical college.”
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Neeraj Jadon said both assailants fired at the victim and fled the scene immediately after the attack. “The killing appears to be targeted. Multiple teams have been formed, and a manhunt is underway,” Jadon said.
READ: Khaleda Zia Son Tarique Rahman Back to Dhaka After 17 years
READ: Ex–‘Lion King’ Actress Imani Dia Smith Killed in NJ
Police have constituted at least six special teams to investigate the case and are reviewing extensive CCTV footage from the campus and nearby areas to identify the attackers and trace their escape route. Senior police officials visited the crime scene late Wednesday night. As of Thursday, the motive behind the killing remains unknown, and no arrests have been made.
Ali was a former student of AMU and had been serving as a computer science teacher at the university’s ABK High School, part of the Minto Circle school system, for over 11 years. He joined the institution in 2015 and was also known as a former captain of the university’s Horse Riding Club. Colleagues described him as a dedicated educator who was a familiar presence in the library area.
The brazen attack inside a secured university campus has sparked shock and fear among students and faculty members. Many expressed grief and anger on social media, calling for enhanced security measures and swift justice.
The killing also drew attention due to its timing. It occurred just hours after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath told the state Assembly that law and order in the state had significantly improved and that Uttar Pradesh now offered a safe environment conducive to investment and growth.
University authorities have urged calm while assuring full cooperation with the police investigation. Security arrangements on campus have since been reviewed and tightened.
The incident has once again highlighted concerns over targeted violence and the safety of academic spaces, even within supposedly secure campuses. Investigations are ongoing.
