The Dean of Faculty of Law at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), Prof Shakil Ahmed Samdani, died on Saturday at Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College Hospital where he was undergoing treatment for coronavirus, an official said.

AMU spokesperson Rahat Abrar said 59-year-old Samdani was admitted to the hospital in the varsity 10 days ago after he tested positive for COVID-19. He initially seemed to have recovered but his condition suddenly deteriorated a few days back, the official said.

The teaching staff at the AMU has lost 17 members during the past 18 days. All of them were either suffering from COVID-19 or displaying COVID-19 like symptoms, the spokesperson said.

Professor Rafiqul Zaman Khan (55), till recently the chairman of the Department Computer Science, passed away on Friday at the medical college hospital due to COVID-19.

Two days ago, former dean of the Law Department, Prof Mohamed Shabbir Ahmad (70), died of COVID-like symptoms.

He was the founder-head of the Ambedkar Chair in the Department of Law and had also served as the acting vice-chancellor of AMU, the spokesperson said.