In a shocking incident that has sent ripples through the academic community, a 43-year-old school teacher was brutally shot dead on the premises of the prestigious Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday night. The assailants, who remain unidentified, executed the murder in cold blood after a brief verbal confrontation, leaving the campus in a state of fear and disbelief.
The Fatal Night: A Walk Turns Tragic
The victim has been identified as Danish Rao, a computer science teacher who had been serving at the ABK High School located on the AMU campus for over 11 years. According to detailed police accounts, Rao was out for an evening walk with two of his colleagues near the university's Central Library when the tragedy struck.
At approximately 8:50 PM, two men riding a scooter intercepted the group. What followed was a brief exchange of words, after which one of the assailants delivered a chilling line to Rao: "You don't know me yet, now you will." Immediately after uttering these words, the assailant opened fire. Multiple gunshots were fired at Rao, with preliminary investigations suggesting the use of a 0.32 bore pistol.
Immediate Aftermath and Police Response
Bleeding profusely, Danish Rao was rushed to the Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College within the university complex. However, medical professionals declared him dead on arrival, extinguishing all hopes of survival.
The Aligarh Police have launched a massive manhunt to apprehend the killers. Six dedicated police teams have been constituted with the specific mandate to identify and track down the culprits. Civil Lines Station House Officer (SHO) Vinod Kumar confirmed the gravity of the attack and the ongoing investigation.
"We are investigating all CCTV camera footage in the area," stated SHO Kumar. "But for now, we have not been able to identify any of the accused or the reason behind the murder." The motive behind the targeted killing remains a critical puzzle for the investigators.
Investigation Hurdles and Campus Security Concerns
The investigation has hit an early snag due to challenging environmental conditions at the time of the crime. AMU Proctor Mohammad Waseem Ali informed the Press Trust of India (PTI) that the crucial CCTV footage from the area was unclear. The combination of darkness and dense winter fog significantly hampered video quality, obstructing the clear identification of the assailants or their vehicle's registration details.
This brazen attack inside one of India's most renowned university campuses has raised serious questions about security protocols within educational institutions. The fact that armed assailants could enter, execute a murder, and escape without immediate identification has sparked concern among students, staff, and residents.
The police are exploring all possible angles, including personal enmity, professional disputes, or other undisclosed reasons that might have led to this extreme act of violence against a long-serving teacher. The community now awaits answers as the police teams work against time to solve this heinous crime.
