‘He was also missing his shadow’: Indian scholar, who lives in America’s jail for 2 months, told experience
Badar Khan Suri is an Indian academic and guest scholar at Georgetown University, USA. Finally, after being detained for two months, he has been released, assuming the order of a court.
Suri was arrested on 17 March 2025 by Federal agents in civil dress outside his house in Arlington, Virginia. He was kept at the Preyland Detention Center in Texas for about two months. The US Homeland Department of Security has accused him of having a “close relationship with a known or suspected terrorist” and spreading Hamas’s propaganda at the university campus.
Now after coming out of the detention center, Suri has shared his experience in custody. He said that he was kept tied to the wrist, ankle and body – chains everywhere. He told, “I was caught with chains- my ankle, my wrist, my body. Everything was stuck with chains.” He also claimed that during the first seven to eight days, he did not know where he was being taken and even he could not see his shadow.
According to the NBC report, Suri claimed that there was a facility (washroom or other) filled with dirt and tried to raise his concerns in front of the Lokpal, but he never received any response. Suri was under stress about his family during custody. “I was just worried that, oh, my children are having trouble because of me. My eldest son is only nine years old, and my twins are only five years old.” He also said, “My nine -year -old child knows where I am.
While delivering a verdict from Alexandria in Virginia, US District Judge Petricia Giles ordered Suri’s immediate release, stating that his custody is a violation of the right to first amendment -independent speech. The judge ordered his return to his family on personal bond.
According to the report, Suri’s lawyers filed a habeas corpus (Habius Corpus) petition to challenge the validity of his custody. According to the court document, Suri was sent to Texas after detention in Virginia overnight and then Louisiana was transferred due to lack of space in Virginia.
Also read: Indian researcher accused of Hamas Propagandnda in America was arrested 2 months ago, now released from court