Governor Uttarakhand Gurmit Singh inaugurates the 3rd edition
PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Dehradun
The third edition of the Crime Literature Festival of India commenced in Dehradun, marking the beginning of the three- day event. While the Governor Lt Gen (Retd) Gurmit Singh inaugurated it among those present were the filmmaker Ketan Mehta and chairman of the festival and former DGP Uttarakhand Ashok Kumar.
Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, Singh said: “Crime is, in many ways, a story about all of us. When negative impulses arise within us—when the Ravana inside us is born—the Rama within must also awaken or else unchecked anger can lead to destruction. Preventing crime begins with recognising and controlling this inner conflict.” He further said, “This three-day festival spans the entire spectrum of crime—justice, law enforcement, lawlessness, societal behaviour and the psychology behind criminal actions. The stories shared here will serve as valuable lessons for future generations. Drug abuse and cybercrime are two of the most pressing challenges today and preparing society to create an anti-crime environment is essential.”
Ashok Kumar said, “This is the third edition of our Crime Literature Festival, a unique genre-based event and the only one of its kind in India. Over the next three days, we aim to meaningfully engage with important issues such as drug prevention, road accidents, women’s safety, cybercrimes and several other topics that deeply affect society.”
The festival opened with one of its most anticipated sessions, “From Mirch Masala to Manjhi: Ketan Mehta’s Lens on Injustice,” where Mehta, well-known for his movies like ‘Manjhi’, ‘Mirch Masala’ and ‘Mangal Pandey’, delved in an insightful conversation with former DGP Uttarakhand Aloke Lal. Together, they explored how real struggles, resistance and human courage find expression in cinema, and how films can become powerful mirrors of society.
Addressing the audience, Filmmaker Ketan Mehta said, “Crime has always been one of the most fascinating genres for me. Since the very beginning of cinema, literature and theatre, crime has remained among the most compelling themes. Many of my films—whether Mangal Pandey, Rang Rasiya or Mirch Masala—explore different dimensions of crime and human conflict. The reasons behind why a person turns to crime can be many, but at its core, the human being is inherently conflict-ridden. There is a constant battle within each of us, and learning to manage and contain that inner conflict is, in many ways, what life is all about.”
Speaking during the occasion, Aloke Lal said, “This is the only festival in the world dedicated solely to the crime genre and in that sense, it is truly path-breaking. Psychologists say that all of us carry a certain negative impulse within—anger, retaliation, or the instinct to react in ways that can harm others. Only a few allow these impulses to turn into actions and they ultimately face the consequences through law enforcement. This festival explores not only real crimes but also fictional ones, making it one of the most distinctive and insightful platforms for discussing crime literature.”
