Christian assistant professor in Tamil Nadu fired for criticising war with Pakistan
SRM University in Chennai fired Lora Santhakumar for posting comments on her WhatsApp status critical of Operation Sindoor. First suspended on 8 May, she was fired a few days ago. Over this period, she was the target of online attacks and death threats from far-right groups.
Delhi (AsiaNews) – A Dalit Christian assistant professor, at SRM University in Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu, has been fired for posting critical opinions about war during Operation Sindoor, the brief armed conflict between India and Pakistan that took place last May.
Lora Santhakumar was suspended first on 8 May after posting comments and opinions on her WhatsApp status that warned of the dangers of war. Her phone number and photo soon began circulating on right-wing social media, triggering online abuse, menacing phone calls, and death threats.
A few months later, she was dismissed for allegedly making “unethical remarks" on social media about the armed forces and identifying herself as an assistant professor at SRM Institute of Technology (SRMIST).
Santhakumar, who worked at the university's Professional Development Centre(CDC), was seemingly doxed[*] by students in May. For the latter, her "crime" was posting a status on the popular social media site in which she called for peace.
The students allegedly revealed the identity of the Dalit Christian scholar, triggering violent attacks from groups and circles linked to the Indian far right.
The dismissal order followed, which also included allegations of tagging herself as an assistant professor at the university without qualification and posting “unethical remarks” against the army online.
For SRM Uni, “she is unfit to continue her job in the institution and is dismissed from service with immediate effect”.
A committee of inquiry was set up and an investigation was conducted at the SRM Kattankulathur campus from 15 July to 26 September, chaired by SRMIST Director of Student Affairs Nisha Ashokan. The committee submitted its final report to the university secretary on 30 October.
Her suspension was decided after her WhatsApp status, along with her phone number and photo, were leaked to right-wing social media accounts, resulting in targeted cyberbullying, harassment, and threatening phone calls, including death threats. These accounts had taken parts of her status and distributed them, accusing her of speaking negatively about the Indian army.
Right-wing activists and groups branded the Dalit Christian as "anti-national", lacking in patriotism, so much so that she was forced to leave her home in Chennai, even though all she did was to urge people to consider the human cost of war. In the end, she decided to return to her hometown of Kallakurichi, Tamil Nadu, to protect herself from continued harassment.
According to the committee’s report, she posted a total of 12 anti-war messages, two of which she shared publicly, detailing the real-world consequences of the war, from the economic shutdown to the loss of life. Another criticised the killing of civilians in an attack, calling it an act of cowardice rather than courage.
The committee charged her on five accounts, plus a sixth one issued against her on 16 June, alleging unethical comments against the Indian armed forces, lack of patriotism, and acting against national interests. She was also accused of "criminal" antisocial activities, which the committee described as a “grave misconduct”.
Denying all charges, Santhakumar maintained that her comments were never intended to belittle the armed forces and that, in fact, they had been misunderstood and shared with the wrong perspective. She also denied damaging the university's reputation and that the comments were not posted on public social media, but only on her temporary personal WhatsApp status.
Despite her defence, the committed found her guilty on five counts and ordered her expulsion from the university, giving her one month to appeal to the vice-chancellor, the appellate authority in the matter.
Her case reflects a broader trend in India, where marginalised academics face suspension, dismissal, and threats if they criticise war, majoritarian politics, or state violence.
Another academic Ali Khan Mahmudabad, associate professor at Ashoka University, faced legal challenges and arrest in mid-2025 for statements he made about Operation Sindoor.
[*] Act of publicly providing personally identifiable information about an individual or organisation.
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07/05/2025 15:16
15/03/2018 09:58
