• Source:JND

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has written a letter to former JNU student and an accused in the Delhi Blast case, Umar Khalid, expressing solidarity with him.

A note now widely circulated on social media with Khalid and Mamdani's photos and was shared by his friend, Banojyotsna Lahiri.

The post was shared the same day Mamdani was ceremonially sworn in as mayor. The brief handwritten note addressed to Khalid read, "Dear Umar, I think of your words on bitterness often, and the importance of not letting it consume oneself. It was a pleasure to meet your parents. We are all thinking of you."

According to a report by Hindustan Times, the note was allegedly handed over to Umar's parents, Sahiba Khanam and Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas, when the NYC Mayor met them during their December 2025 visit to the United States.

The report cited Lahiri saying that Khalid's parents had travelled to the US in December 2025 ahead of their youngest daughter's wedding to meet their other daughter, who resides there.

ALSO READ: Umar Khalid, Delhi Riots Accused, Gets Interim Bail To Attend His Sister's Marriage From Dec 16-29

Their elder daughter was unable to travel to India. "They met Mamdani and a few others in the US and spent quite some time with him. That's when he wrote this note," Lahiri was quoted as saying.

Speaking about the brief period of Khalid's interim bail for his sister's marriage, Lahiri said, "Umar spent all his time at home as his bail conditions did not allow him to step out. But it went by so fast, as it had the two times earlier when he was out on bail. He had home-cooked food, which his mother often fed him, and he spent a lot of time with his nieces and nephews.

US lawmakers write to India seeking free trial for Umar Khalid

Besides Mamdani, eight US lawmakers have now written a letter urging the Indian Government to grant Khalid a fair trial as per international law.

Ranking Member of the House Rules Committee and Co-chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, Democrat Jim McGovern, who represents the 2nd District of Massachusetts, and seven other lawmakers penned the letter addressed to India's Ambassador to the US, Vinay Kwatra.

ALSO READ: Delhi Riots Accused Umar Khalid Seeks Interim Bail To Attend Sister's Wedding

Earlier this month, McGovern took to X and said, "I met with the parents of Umar Khalid, who has been jailed in India for over 5 years without trial. Representative Raskin and I are leading our colleagues to urge that he be granted bail and a fair, timely trial in accordance with international law."

Umar has been incarcerated in Tihar Jail for over five years as an accused in the alleged larger conspiracy behind the 2020 Delhi riots. He was arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The trial in his case is yet to commence.


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