Days after Rao Danish Ali, a 45-year-old teacher, was shot dead on the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) campus while on an evening walk, UP Police arrested a 32-year-old man, Salman Quereshi, for his alleged role in the murder.
Police said the Dec 24 killing was allegedly carried out in revenge, as Salman suspected Ali of being an informer in a 2018 murder case. Seven years ago, a man named Azmat was murdered, leading to the imprisonment of Salman’s associates and two shooters, Fahad and Yasir. Salman, along with Fahad, Yasir, and his brother Zubair—the prime accused in Ali’s murder—allegedly hatched a plan to eliminate the teacher.
According to SSP (Aligarh) Neeraj Jadaun, Salman called his associates on Dec 23. Fahad and Yasir, both originally from Nausa in Aligarh and currently residing in Delhi, arrived with a pistol and stayed overnight at Salman’s residence. The next day, they parked a scooter at a pre-determined location, while Salman drove them near Medical Road to carry out the attack.
The shooters intercepted Ali near the canteen inside AMU and fired at him, hitting him multiple times. He later died during treatment. The attackers then abandoned the scooter in a secluded area and fled to Delhi. Salman’s brother, Zubair, who has a substantial criminal record, remains under investigation.
Ali, a teacher at ABK School on AMU campus, was walking with friends near the Maulana Azad Library canteen when he was attacked. Following the incident, an FIR was filed by Ali’s brother, Dr Rao Faraz, at Aligarh Civil Lines under BNS sections 103(1) for murder and 109(1) for attempted murder.
Authorities continue to investigate the incident, focusing on all accomplices involved in the premeditated revenge killing.
