A mix of emotion and quiet resignation marked activist Umar Khalid’s response to his partner Banojyotsna Lahiri after the Supreme Court denied him bail. Their brief exchange, shared by Lahiri on social media, offered a glimpse into the personal weight of his continued incarceration and his attempt to come to terms with it.
According to Lahiri, Khalid first expressed relief that some of the co-accused had been granted bail. He told her he was genuinely happy for them and felt a sense of relief that others would at least be free, even as his own situation remained unchanged.
Lahiri then told him she would come to meet him the next day for a mulaqat. Khalid’s response was calm and accepting. “Good, good, aa jana. Ab yahi zindagi hai,” he said, conveying a sense of resignation to the reality of his prolonged time in jail.
The post quickly drew attention online, with many readers interpreting it as a reflection of the emotional toll of years-long imprisonment without trial. The short exchange captured both Khalid’s concern for others and his subdued acceptance of his own circumstances.
Earlier on Monday, the Supreme Court refused bail to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case, citing material pointing to a criminal conspiracy. At the same time, the court granted bail to five other accused, drawing renewed focus on the contrast between prolonged incarceration and selective relief in the case.
