Who is Banojyotsna Lahiri? Jailed student activist and JNU alumni Umar Khalid’s partner; shared his response over SC ruling
Student activist and JNU alumnus Umar Khalid was on Monday denied bail by the Supreme Court in the 2020 Delhi riots CAA protest case. Hours after the SC verdict, Umar Khalid’s girlfriend Banojyotsna Lahiri shared a short and private conversation between them. He is Khalid’s long-term partner.
Umar Khalid and his girlfriend Banojyotsna Lahiri
Student activist and JNU alumni Omer Khalid He was denied bail by the Supreme Court in the 2020 Delhi riots CAA protest case on Monday. Hours after the SC verdict, Umar Khalid’s girlfriend Banojyotsna Lahiri shared a short private conversation between them on X. The post reflected Umar Khalid’s sarcasm over the Supreme Court’s verdict and the government’s massive delay in the case.
“I’m really happy for the others who were released on bail! I’m very relieved,” said Umar, Banojyotsna Lahiri. “I will come for the interview (meeting) tomorrow,” I said. “Good, good, aa jana. Ab yahi zindagi hai (Come, this is life now)”. Lahiri’s post quickly went viral, attracting public attention. The conversation showed some of Khalid’s emotional state after the verdict; This reflected not anger or disappointment, but quiet acceptance, empathy and relief that the other defendants were released on bail.
Another JNU graduate, Sharjeel Imam, was also denied bail.
The post was brief and did not reveal Khalid’s political or deeply personal response or the legal aspects of the case. It reflected the emotional state of many social media users as it showed one man’s years-long legal battle and time spent behind bars.
Who is Banojyotsna Lahiri?
Banojyotsna Lahiri is a long-time partner of Umar Khalid and also a researcher. He is also a JNU Alumnus and graduated from one of the most popular universities in Delhi. He comes from the capital. Khalid is a former JNU research fellow associated with the Democratic Students’ Union.
In recent years, Lahiri has repeatedly shared his own thoughts on key moments from Khalid’s five-year detention, often revealing the emotional dimension of the case rather than its legal complexity.
