“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.
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345 Indian fishermen stranded in Iran return home via Armenia
New Delhi (PTI): A group of 345 Indian fishermen, who were stranded in Iran amid escalating regional tensions, returned to India via Armenia on Saturday, officials said.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar thanked his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan for assistance in return of the Indian nationals.
The Indian nationals arrived in Chennai this evening, the officials cited above said.
The circumstances that led to them being stranded in Iran were not immediately known.
"Thank FM @AraratMirzoyan and the Government of Armenia for facilitating the evacuation of Indian fishermen today from Iran, through Armenia to India," Jaishankar said on social media.
Over 1,500 Indian nationals have left Iran through land border crossings in Armenia and Azerbaijan since the start of the West Asia conflict over a month ago.
"A group of Indian fishermen, stranded in Iran, are returning home via Armenia today; their flight is expected to reach India this evening," a government statement said.
It said the Ministry of External Affairs continues to closely monitor the evolving situation in the West Asian region, with the safety, security and welfare of the Indian community being accorded the highest priority.
It also made a mention of five Indians being injured in Abu Dhabi on Friday.
According to Abu Dhabi authorities, the Indian nationals were among the 12 people injured by debris from an intercepted missile.
"In an attack in Abu Dhabi, five Indian nationals were injured; four have been discharged, one remains under treatment," the Indian government's statement said.
It said the Indian mission in Abu Dhabi is extending "full" assistance and coordinating with local authorities, adding that their flight is expected to reach India this evening.
