With hundreds of students from Hyderabad detained by Air India while going to alleged 'blacklisted universities;, one US varsity has decided to sue the airline for defaming them.

According to a report in the Times of India, the California-based Northwestern Polytechnic University (NPU) has decided to file a defamation suit against Air India for spreading ''false information'' about the institution.

NPU is one of two universities which were recently caught in a controversy when several Indian students said that they were being discouraged from flying to US or being deported from their port of entry ­which included Abu Dhabi, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle.

President of the varsity Peter Hsieh told TOI: “We are planning to take taking legal action, which would include a defamation claim due to Air India's outrageous conduct and the permanent and irreparable damage to NPU's reputation“. 

However, he did not specify whether the claim will be filed ­in the US or in India.

NPU management had eaerlier sent a letter to Air India, accusing them of unjustifiably “barring NPU students from travelling“ to the US. 

Silicon Valley University is also mulling legal action against the airlines. Simon Au, associate academic Dean of SVU told TOI: "Indian newspapers and news channels have also pointed to Air India for spreading rumours of universities “blacklisted“ by the US government...We are in consultation with our attorneys."