New Delhi, Jan. 2 -- A group of US lawmakers, including Jim McGovern and Jamie Raskinhas, sent a letter to India's Ambassador to the United States, Vinay Kwatra, calling for a fair and timely trial for activist Umar Khalid in "accordance with international law".

The eight lawmakers flagged concerns over the "prolonged pre-trial detention of individuals charged in connection with the February 2020 violence in Delhi."

Khalid and several others have been booked under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA), along with provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), for allegedly being the "masterminds" behind the Delhi riots, which claimed 53 lives and left over 700 people injured.

The lawmakers stated, "With respect fo...