Bareilly City Magistrate Alankar Agnihotri resigned from service on Monday, citing deep disagreement with government policies, especially the new UGC regulations, which he said could foment caste-based discontent, officials said. He described the new University Grants Commission (UGC) rules as a "black law", alleging that they are vitiating the academic environment in colleges and should be withdrawn immediately.
The new regulations, introduced to stop caste-based discrimination in colleges and universities, ask institutions to set up special committees, helplines and monitoring teams to handle complaints, especially from SC, ST and OBC students.
Agnihotri, a 2019-batch Provincial Civil Service officer, sent his resignation by e-mail to Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel and Bareilly District Magistrate Avinash Singh, they said.
Political leaders reacted to the development, saying that the resignation was a serious indicator of administrative pressure.
Bareilly Mayor Dr Umesh Gautam also visited Agnihotri's residence in the evening.
In his resignation, Agnihotri said that when governments adopt policies that divide society and the nation, it becomes necessary to "awaken" them.
The new rules notified by the UGC on January 13 -- the Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions Regulations, 2026 -- have sparked widespread criticism from general category students who argue that the framework could lead to discrimination against them.
Talking to reporters after attending the Republic Day function in the morning, Agnihotri alleged that the new UGC rules would lead to atrocities against Brahmins. The provisions were discriminatory and could lead to social unrest and internal discontent, he said.
Agnihotri also referred to recent incidents, including Swami Avimukteshwaranand being stopped from taking a holy dip at Triveni Sangam on Mauni Amavasya during Magh Mela in Prayagraj, and questioned the role of the local administration.
Claiming that democratic and republican values are eroding, he said he could no longer be part of the system.
After leaving the district magistrate's residence, Agnihotri told reporters on Monday that he had gone to meet Bareilly District Magistrate Avinash Singh at his home, where he was allegedly held hostage. "I was held hostage at the DM's residence for 45 minutes. A call came to the DM from Lucknow. I was verbally abused, and they said, 'pandit has gone mad (pandit paagal ho gayaa hai). Keep him hostage all night.' I had already informed the media about my situation. I was released at the behest of the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP)," Agnihotri said.
Agnihotri announced that he had been instructed to vacate his residence within two hours.
Refuting the allegations, District Magistrate Avinash Singh said that when Agnihotri came to see him, all the Additional District Magistrates (ADMs), Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs), Circle Officers, Local Intelligence Unit (LIU) officials, and the Senior Superintendent of Police of Bareilly were present at the DM's residence.
District Magistrate Singh dismissed Agnihotri's claims of being held hostage as completely baseless, stating that there was no mistreatment or abusive language directed at him during their conversation.
When asked about Agnihotri's resignation, Singh replied, "No comment." A resident of Kanpur Nagar, Agnihotri previously served as a sub-divisional magistrate in key districts, including Unnao, Balrampur, and Lucknow. He is known in administrative circles for his straightforward views and strict working style.
Agnihotri is an alumnus of Banaras Hindu University, where he studied B.Tech and LLB. He has also worked in the United States.
Officials noted that Agnihotri's resignation on Republic Day raises serious questions about the current system and policies.
Meanwhile, Brahmin leaders have been gathering at the state guest house in Bareilly since Monday afternoon.
Mayor Umesh Gautam arrived at Agnihotri's residence in the evening.
Speaking to reporters, Gautam acknowledged some shortcomings in the UGC regulations and said that efforts would be made to address them. However, he declined to comment on Agnihotri's resignation, saying a statement could be made after discussing the situation with him.
Reacting to the development, state Congress president Ajay Rai called Agnihotri's resignation a serious issue.
In an X post in Hindi, Rai wrote, "The lathi charge on Shankaracharya (Avimukteshwaranand) and his disciples, and the administrative pressure -- all this shows that under the BJP rule, the Constitution, faith and freedom of expression are all under threat. The truth must come out. The state will be governed by the Constitution, not by fear," he wrote.
Senior Samajwadi Party leader and former Bareilly MP Praveen Singh Aron also responded to the development.
"The circumstances that led a senior PCS officer to resign from his hard-earned and prestigious government service and position draw attention to the fact that this issue is not about caste or religion, but about the dignity of administrative officers and the Constitution," he said in a statement.
Regardless of the officer's community, Aron said, pressure or humiliation while they perform their duties was unacceptable.
"The true strength of governance lies in upholding the principles of righteous rule (Raj Dharma) and constitutional values. This is not a question of politics, but of the very soul of democracy," he added.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
