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The arrest of an Ashoka University professor – for a social media post referencing Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, the Army officer who was part of Operation Sindoor briefings – has led to a row, with his remark seen as “disparagement of women in uniform”.

Here are the top 10 points in this big story:

1. Ali Khan Mahmudabad was arrested from his residence in Delhi Sunday evening by Haryana Police – on charges that include endangering India’s sovereignty – based on a complaint by a BJP youth wing leader. He was sent to police custody for 48 hours.
2. Mr Mahmudabad, who faces two cases, said his comments had been “misread”. He said he had only exercised his “fundamental right to freedom of thought and speech in order to promote peace and harmony”, had nothing but praise for the Indian military and its “resolute action”, and criticised “those who preach hatred and seek to destabilise India”.
3. He has approached the Supreme Court for relief; a bench of Chief Justice BR Gavai and Justice AG Masih agreed to hear his plea by Wednesday, after senior advocate Kapil Sibal said the professor had been “arrested for (making) a patriotic statement“.
4. The posts that led to the row called the briefings by Col Qureshi as “optics”, and said, “… optics must translate to on-ground reality, otherwise it’s just hypocrisy”. He also said individuals applauding her presence at those briefings must also demand the government protect Muslims against mob lynchings and “arbitrary bulldozing of properties”.
5. The arrest has been criticised by the Congress. The opposition party said Mr Mahmudabad made two ‘mistakes’ – a sharp remark referring to his Islamic heritage. “His (first) mistake is he wrote this post. His other mistake is his name,” Congress leader Pawan Khera said on X. “This is the ‘New India’ under the Narendra Modi government”.
6. Mr Khera also slammed the ruling party for arresting a scholar who ‘dared to speak truth to power and expose (its) communal narrative’, and pointed out the ‘hypocrisy’ of two BJP leaders who ‘faced no action after openly demeaning the military‘.
7. The reference was to Madhya Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Jagdish Devda and minister Vijay Shah. According to the Congress, Mr Devda said the military ‘bowed at the feet of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’. But he accused the Congress of twisting his words; according to him, he said the ‘people of India bow… at the feet of the military’.
8. Mr Shah, meanwhile, made comments linking Col Qureshi to the religion of the terrorists who killed 26 people in J&K’s Pahalgam last month – the attack that led to India launching Op Sindoor to wipe out terror camps in Pakistan and Pak-occupied Kashmir. He was told to apologise by the Supreme Court, but the apology’s sincerity has been questioned.
9. Apart from the Congress, the Samajwadi Party has also criticised the BJP; party boss Akhilesh Yadav compared swift action against Mr Mahmudabad with the sluggish response to the Vijay Shah’s comment. He said on X, “Those in power are free even after speaking ill of others, and those who spoke the truth have been arrested.”
10. Ashoka University has said it is “ascertaining the details of this case” and that it will “continue to cooperate with the police and local authorities in the investigation, fully”.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met Chief of Defence Staff Anil Chauhan and three service chiefs in Delhi on Friday morning, hours after India thwarted a wave of missile and drone attacks from Pakistan targeting military stations and other cities. The meeting was held to assess the security situation after India’s recent cross-border strikes under Operation Sindoor.

India foiled the second round of Pakistan’s airstrikes on military stations and several cities in Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Punjab, which began around 8:30 pm last night. Pakistan also targeted military stations at Jammu, Pathankot, and Udhampur, with the Indian Army retaliating swiftly.

A massive blackout was reported from Srinagar, Jammu, and several places in Punjab and Rajasthan at night.

Sources said that many Pakistani military posts along the Line of Control have been destroyed as Indian forces retaliated effectively to cross-border firing. Anti-tank guided missiles were used to strike the military posts, they said.

“Pakistan Armed Forces launched multiple attacks using drones and other munitions along the entire Western Border on the intervening night of 08 and 09 May 2025. Pak troops also resorted to numerous ceasefire violations (CFVs) along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir,” the Army said.

It added that the drone attacks were effectively repulsed, and a “befitting reply” was given to the ceasefire violations by the Army.

“The Army Commander complimented all ranks for the successful execution of operations & exhorted them to maintain sharp vigilance, adopt proactive measures, and uphold exemplary professionalism at all times,” the post stated.

Northern Army Commander Lieutenant General Pratik Sharma visited the Poonch and Naushera districts of Jammu and Kashmir and reviewed the prevailing security situation and operational readiness, the Army said.

“Lt Gen Pratik Sharma, Army Commander Northern Command, visited forward areas of Poonch and Naushera to review the prevailing security situation and operational readiness,” Northern Command, Indian Army posted on X on Friday.

“The Army Commander complimented all ranks for the successful execution of operations & exhorted them to maintain sharp vigilance, adopt proactive measures, and uphold exemplary professionalism at all times,” the post stated.

Earlier on Friday, the Northern Army Commander complimented the Chinar Corps for their swift action and precise execution in the joint operation that neutralised three terrorists in Awantipora.

“Lt Gen Pratik Sharma, Army Commander #NorthernCommand, compliments #ChinarCorps for their swift action and precise execution in the joint operation that neutralised three terrorists in #Awantipora. The #IndianArmy stands by its commitment to keeping #JammuKashmir terror-free,” the post stated.

In Operation Nader, three suspected terrorists, Asif Ahmed Sheikh, Amir Nazir Wani and Yawar Ahmed Bhat, were eliminated. Three AK-series rifles, twelve magazines, three grenades and various other war-like stores were recovered too.

Drones, including the armed ones, were sighted at 26 locations in India, ranging from Jammu and Kashmir to Gujarat, along both the International Border and the Line of Control with Pakistan, the Indian Army said on Friday. 

This is the latest provocation from Pakistan after it fired 300-400 drones a day before, which were neutralised by the Army.

The locations include Baramulla, Srinagar, Avantipora, Nagrota, Jammu, Ferozepur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Lalgarh Jatta, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Bhuj, Kuarbet and Lakhi Nala, said the Army. 

An armed drone targeted a civilian area in Ferozepur, resulting in severe injuries to members of a local family, the Army said further.

“We received information about 3 people being injured. They have burn injuries. Doctors will treat them. Most of the drones have been neutralised by the army,” Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ferozepur, Bhupinder Singh Sidhu said.

AAP’s Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha also confirmed that drones from Pakistan have been fired into civilian areas in Punjab. 

“Pakistan has once again proven that it’s a terrorist state – firing drones into civilian areas of Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir and Rajasthan. In my own state of Punjab, innocent civilians have been severely injured. The world needs to see how Pakistan is provoking India. Shameful and cowardly,” Mr Chadha posted on X.

The Army said such aerial threats are being tracked and engaged using counter-drone systems.

“The Indian Armed Forces are maintaining a high state of alert, and all such aerial threats are being tracked and engaged using counter-drone systems. The situation is under close and constant watch, and prompt action is being taken wherever necessary,” it said.

Citizens, especially in border areas, said the Army are advised to remain indoors, limit unnecessary movement, and strictly follow safety instructions issued by local authorities. 

“While there is no need for panic, heightened vigilance and precaution are essential,” it added. 

A precautionary blackout has been enforced in the multiple areas amid the escalating tensions between the two neighbours.

Complete blackout has been enforced in Akhnoor and Udhampur region of Jammu and Kashmir; Ambala and Panchkula area of Haryana.The blackout has also been enforced in Firozepur of Punjab and Jaisalmer of Rajasthan.

As the Pakistan drones were spotted again, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Foreign Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.

A few hours before that PM Modi chaired a high-level meet with the top defence establishment to take stock of the security situation. The Prime Minister met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, and the three service chiefs and the Chief of Defence Staff to strategise over the future course of action.

Pakistan on Thursday night launched a series of coordinated drone and missile attacks along India’s western border, targeting several regions. Defence officials said the attacks were intercepted by India’s air defence systems, including the S-400 missile defence system, preventing significant damage.

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