Chennai professor suspended for 'anti-India' comments over Operation Sindoor against Pakistan

The professor also termed the strikes as a reflection of 'bloodlust' and said such actions as part of 'your election stunts' is not bravery and not justice.

Chennai: An assistant professor with a private university near the city was on Thursday suspended for posting messages that criticised India’s action against Pakistan’s terror network and expressed concern over civilian casualties in the neighbouring country.

S Lora, who is associated with the Directorate of Career Centre at SRM Institute of Science and Technology, posted the critical messages on her WhatsApp. “India killed a child in Pakistan and wounded two people in the early Wednesday strikes… It is a cowardice act,” the professor wrote in one of her status messages, while another warned of potential economic and social crises in India.

She also termed the strikes as a reflection of “bloodlust” and said such actions as part of “your election stunts” is not bravery and not justice. Her posts shared widely on social media led to a major storm with several accounts trolling her and posting her profile culled out from the university website online.

Under fire, the university issued a statement on Thursday afternoon stating that Lora has been placed under suspension for her involvement in “unethical activities.” “She is placed under suspension with immediate effect, pending enquiry,” the statement issued by S Ponnusamy, Registrar, said.

Her profile on the website says she is a recipient of the Best Teacher Award in the year 2016 and also received the Indira Gandhi Teaching Excellence Award in the year 2017. “She is currently doing her doctoral research in Irish Mythology,” it reads, adding that Lora has an experience of 11 years.

Several social media users said suspension wasn’t enough and demanded that the assistant professor be dismissed from service. “We should also make sure Ms Lora isn’t appointed by any other institution. In case any institution appoints her, they should be hounded & shamed in public for their anti-India mindset,” S G Suryah, BJP state secretary, said.

Her posts, which were private, were first posted online with her profile by social media accounts linked to Tamil Nadu BJP.