But a row has erupted at Symbiosis Law School in Nagpur after a professor, identified in media reports as Dr Ahmar Afaq, was accused of sending inappropriate messages to female students and pressing a student to adhere to Islamic religious beliefs. Hindu organisations have called for rigorous action and an investigation by the university is to be carried out.
The allegations have attracted attention throughout Maharashtra and questions of student safety, professional conduct and whether educational institutions are supposed to investigate complaints fairly are being raised.
What are the allegations against Ahmar Afaq?
According to reports released on October 17-19, 2026, a former female student showed messages attributed to the professor to her father. The messages were said to be inappropriate and to contain references to Islamic practices, including offering namaz.
There are also claims of pressure to convert to Islam. However, these claims have not been established through a completed investigation and the professor’s alleged messages should not be treated as proof of wrongdoing before the evidence is examined.
Claims circulating online that the professor ordered students to chant pro-Pakistan slogans or threatened to end their careers need to be verified separately. The reports reviewed for this article did not independently substantiate those specific allegations.
Hindu Organisations demand action.
The controversy resulted in protests by members of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).
According to media reports, representatives of these organisations contacted the university administration and sought action against the professor. They also asked for an investigation into the allegations and assurance of the safety and dignity of the students' education and safety and dignity of students, protesters said.
The protests intensified at the institution’s Nagpur campus on the weekend of October 17–18. Police intervened to facilitate discussions between representatives of the organisations and university officials too.
The demands for accountability forced the university’s response to public scrutiny.
Symbiosis puts Professor on Leave.
Symbiosis International (Deemed University) initiated an internal inquiry and placed the professor on compulsory leave pending the investigation, according to reports published on October 18 and 19.
The university also formed a high-level committee to investigate the allegations, according to reports. The inquiry also could deal with the professor's previous tenure at the institution’s Hyderabad campus.
The leave decision is an interim administrative action and does not, by itself, establish that the allegations are true. The results of the inquiry will be important in deciding what further action, if any, is warranted.
“CONVERT TO ISLAM, OFFER NAMAZ, CHANT ‘PAKISTAN ZINDABAD’ — OR YOUR CAREER IS OVER!” A professor, Ahmar Afaq, at an institution like Symbiosis Law School, Nagpur, is accused of forcing Hindu students to convert to Islam and raise “Pakistan Zindabad” slogans. https://t.co/x9VjZGo0Kx
— subash kumar (@Krishan10_) October 19, 2026
What has the police said?
A report published by India Today on October 19, citing news agency PTI, said police had not received a formal complaint or supporting evidence from the former student and her family despite requests. Police therefore said the allegations could not be verified at that stage.
The reports differ in the way they describe complaints made to authorities and the university. Any formal police case should be checked against the latest official confirmation.
What happened?
The controversy was made public in mid-October 2026. The initial allegations were reported on October 16 and protests and administrative action were reported on October 17 and 18. An update was made on October 19.
The case speaks to the need for students’ protection, for complaints to be investigated in an objective and credible manner, and for credible claims not to be circulated. The university’s investigation and any subsequent police investigation will be crucial for establishing the facts and deciding what to do.
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