Mumbai Police pressured 2 venues into cancelling Umar Khalid film screening, allege organisers

Two Mumbai residents have alleged that a private screening of a documentary about jailed activist Umar Khalid, organised by them, had to be cancelled after police intimidated the managers of two venues they had approached to host the event.

Khalid has been in judicial custody for six years in connection with the conspiracy case related to the 2020 Delhi riots. The trial in the case is yet to begin.

Scroll has contacted the Mumbai police commissioner’s office for a response. The story will be updated if the police respond.

The screening of the documentary Prisoner No. 626710 is Present, scheduled for Saturday and expected to be attended by 40 to 60 persons, was cancelled after police personnel visited the two venues they had approached, one of the organisers Shruti Khanna told Scroll.

Khanna said that after the first venue that they were considering for the screening became unavailable they finalised another venue and confirmed the screening with its manager.

She added that on Friday, after the arrangements had been completed for the event, persons in civilian clothes – purportedly police officers – arrived at the second venue around 7 pm and began questioning the manager. She alleged that they intimidated him and pressured him to cancel the screening.

Khanna further alleged that the venue...

Read more