The proposed screening of the controversial documentary based on UAPA-accused Umar Khalid at National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bengaluru, has caused widespread outrage with student organisations calling for the cancellation of the event.
Student organisation Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) has written to the Vice Chancellor of NLSIU seeking cancellation of the screening scheduled to happen on September 14, 2026.
“ABVP Bengaluru strongly condemns the proposed campus screening of Lalit Vachani’s documentary on Umar Khalid, ‘Prisoner No. 626710 is Present’, at the National Law School of India University,” the organisation said. “Academic campuses must remain dedicated to national integrity and learning, rather than serving as platforms for political propaganda or glorifying civil unrest,” it added.
Speaking about the matter, City Secretary (ABVP), Abhinandan Mirji said that the organisation has not received any response from the university. He added that if the university does not cancel the event, ABVP will stage a protest. “Till now, we had mailed the Law Minister as well, and we have taken certain actions, but there has been no response from the university. If they don’t listen to us by tomorrow, we are planning to go and deliver the letter by hand. And if they don’t allow us inside, or if they don’t listen to our demands, then we will surely protest against the issue, and we will not let the programme continue,” Mirji said
Bengaluru, Karnataka: On press statement issued objecting screening of movie on Umar khalid at NLSIU, City Secretary (ABVP), Abhinandan Mirji says, "Till now, we had mailed the Law Minister as well, and we have taken certain actions, but there has been no response from the… pic.twitter.com/7TndDSbmkT
— IANS (@ians_india) September 13, 2026
The proposed screening is also facing opposition from people in general. An advocate named, Girish Bharadwaj, also wrote an email to the varsity’s Vice-Chancellor and Registrar on Saturday (September 12, 2026), urging the university to cancel the screening.
I have written to the Vice-Chancellor of NLSIU, urging him not to permit this politically motivated nonsense on the campus.
— Girish Bharadwaj (@Girishbdwj) September 12, 2026
As a custodian of the institution’s values and legacy, the VC has a responsibility to ensure that NLSIU does not become a platform for glorifying… https://t.co/dKj5hnnkOv pic.twitter.com/9DLMjPO5TY
The documentary named Prisoner No. 626710 is scheduled to be screened by the Law and Society Committee of NLSIU at the institution on September 14, to mark the day Umar Khalid was arrested in 2020. Khalid is facing trial for charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and IPC. He is accused of masterminding the anti-Hindu Delhi riots that happened in February 2020.
