“We are all thinking of you,” New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani writes to Umar Khalid
New Delhi/New York: New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani has written a personal letter to former Jawaharlal Nehru University student and activist Umar Khalid, who is currently lodged in Delhi’s Tihar Jail under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The development was first reported by The Telegraph India.
Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist, recently made history by becoming the first Muslim and Indian-origin mayor of New York City. A handwritten note attributed to him surfaced on social media platform X, where he reflected on an earlier interaction with Khalid and conveyed support during his incarceration.
“Dear Umar, I think of your words on bitterness often, and the importance of not letting it consume one’s self. It was a pleasure to meet your parents. We are all thinking of you,” the note read, according to the report. The Telegraph India said it could not independently verify the authenticity of the letter.
Banojyotsna Lahiri, a close friend of Khalid who shared the letter online, told The Telegraph India that Khalid’s parents had visited the United States in December and met several people during their trip, including Mamdani.
Umar Khalid, a former scholar at Jawaharlal Nehru University, was arrested in September 2020 in connection with an alleged conspiracy linked to the 2020 Delhi riots. While the Delhi High Court has discharged him in one FIR, he continues to remain in custody in another case under the UAPA. His bail pleas have been rejected multiple times over the past five years, and in December 2025, the Supreme Court reserved its judgment on his bail application.
This is not the first time Mamdani has publicly expressed support for Khalid. In June 2023, at a ‘Howdy, Democracy?!’ event in New York held ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the United States, Mamdani read excerpts from Khalid’s prison writings. At the time, Mamdani, then a member of the New York State Assembly, described Khalid as a scholar and activist who had campaigned against lynching and hate crimes, and pointed out that he had been incarcerated for over 1,000 days without trial.
Mamdani, who rose to prominence through grassroots political organising, served as a New York State Assembly member before being elected mayor, becoming one of the most prominent Indian-origin politicians in the United States.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Sonam Wangchuk taken to AIIMS Jodhpur after complaining of stomach pain
Jodhpur (PTI): Activist and scientist Sonam Wangchuk, who has been lodged in the Jodhpur Central Jail since September 27, 2025, was taken to AIIMS Jodhpur for medical examination early Saturday morning, officials said.
He spent approximately an hour and a half in the hospital's gastroenterology department before being escorted back to prison.
According to AIIMS sources, Wangchuk has been having stomach-related issues and visited the hospital on Friday as well for tests.
The Supreme Court, which is currently hearing a petition filed by his wife, has requested Wangchuk's medical report by February 2.
Following the Supreme Court's orders, police transported Wangchuk from Jodhpur Central Jail to the emergency department of AIIMS Hospital on Saturday morning, a police official said.
Wangchuk has been voicing concerns about his declining health in jail for some time now. Recognising his worsening condition, the Supreme Court ordered the Jodhpur jail administration on Thursday to arrange for him to be examined by a specialist.
During the Thursday hearing, a bench comprising Justice Arvind Kumar and Justice P B Varale directed jail authorities to ensure that Wangchuk receives an examination by a specialist doctor (a gastroenterologist) at a government hospital.
During the hearing, Additional Solicitor General for the Rajasthan government, K M Nataraj, reported that jail doctors had examined Wangchuk 21 times over the past four months, with the most recent check-up occurring on January 26.
Objecting to this submission, Wangchuk's counsel Kapil Sibal claimed that he was suffering from persistent stomach pain due to the water quality in jail.
Accepting Sibal's argument, the court said that medical treatment with a specialist must be provided in accordance with the patient's needs.
