An atmosphere of fear and uncertainty hangs over Al Falah University as students grapple with the fallout of recent terror-related arrests connected to the institution. A postgraduate MBBS student, leaving the campus with two suitcases and a mask concealing his face, voiced the growing anxiety shared by many.
“Our university is being labelled a terror den, an incubator of radicals. Some even say it should be demolished. But what about the hundreds of students who came here simply to build a career?” he said, worried that years of hard work could be undone overnight.
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“If the college shuts down tomorrow, five years of NEET preparation and lakhs of rupees will mean nothing. We’ll become that batch whose degree no hospital trusts,” he added, just before departing for his home in Uttar Pradesh. The student requested anonymity, citing fear of stigma.
Until recently, the university appeared problem-free — boasting UGC recognition, NAAC accreditation, and banners proudly highlighting its achievements. That changed after the deadly Red Fort blast on November 10, which claimed at least 15 lives.
In the days that followed, authorities arrested assistant professor Dr Umar un Nabi, accused of driving the explosive-laden vehicle; Dr Muzammil Shakil, from whose rented home explosives were seized; and the university’s founder, Jawed Ahmed Siddiqui, who is now in Enforcement Directorate custody over allegations involving ₹415 crore in “proceeds of crime.”
With investigations deepening, students fear their academic futures may be at risk, their university’s reputation overshadowed by a crisis they never saw coming.
(This story is published from a syndicated feed)
