UP: 17 AMU professor succumb to COVID in last 18 days

Aligarh: As many as 17 working professors of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) have succumbed to COVID-19 in the last 18 days.

Professor Shakeel Samdani, dean of the law faculty of AMU who was undergoing treatment at Aligarh’s Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College has passed away this Friday taking the death toll to 17.

Professor Shakeel Samdani was a member of the Executive Committee of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board. He was admitted to the Covid ward of Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Aligarh University 10 days ago. Samadani was also suffering from diabetes and hypertension.

The first death of a professor of AMU was recorded on April 20 when the former proctor and dean student welfare professor Jamshed Ali Siddiqui passed away. All the deceased professors lived in different areas of Aligarh city.

Earlier, Medical Department Chairman Professor Shadab Ahmed Khan (58 years) and Computer Department Professor Rafiqul Zaman Khan (55 years) also scummed to COVID-19. At the same time, Umar Farooq, brother of Vice-Chancellor Mansoor also died from Coronavirus. He was a former member of the University Court and a member of the Mohammedan Educational Conference.

In the Covid ward of Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, 16 people, including faculty members, are currently under treatment.

Prof. Aftab Alam, former secretary of the Teachers Association at Aligarh Muslim University, has prepared a list of the teachers who have succumbed to COVID-19.

The list includes the names of Prof. Shakeel Samdani, former proctor Prof. Jamshed Siddadiki, Prof. of Sunni Theology Department Ehsanullah Fahd, Prof. of Urdu Department Maulana Bakhs Ansari, Prof. of Post Harvesting Engineering Department Mohd. Ali Khan, Prof. of Department of Political Science Qazi Mohammed Jamshed, Prof. Moalijat Department Chairman Mohd. Younus Siddadiki, Ilmul Advia Department Chairman Gufram Ahmed, Psychology Department Chairman Prof. Sajid Ali Khan, Chairman of the Department of Musicology Dr. Mohammad Irfan, Dr. of the Center for Women’s Studies Aziz Faisal, Mohammed Saiduzzaman of University Polytechnic, Assistant Professor of History Department Jibrail, former Chairman of Sanskrit Department Prof. Khalid bin Yusuf and Dr Mohammad Yousuf Ansari of English Department.

Mr Alam has said here on Sunday that, “This is a very bad phase for the university. This has never happened before when so many people associated with the university have died.”

Not just the working professors but the retired professors of Aligarh Muslim University have also fallen prey to the deadly disease. So far, 10 retired AMU professors have succumbed to Covid-19, out of which four have died in Kanpur. (UNI)