Indian Woman's Airport Ordeal: How China Detained Her Over Arunachal Passport

Prema Wangjom Thongdok, who was travelling from London to Japan on November 21 with a scheduled three-hour layover, said her ordeal stretched to 18 hours after Chinese officials declared her passport "invalid" because it listed Arunachal Pradesh as her birthplace.

According to Thongdok, the immigration personnel detained and harassed her for hours while insisting that, "Arunachal Pradesh is part of China."

Top sources indicate that India reacted strongly, making a strong demarche with the Chinese side in Beijing and in Delhi on the same day the incident took place with the Indian Consulate in Shanghai also taking up the matter locally and extending full assistance to the stranded passenger.

"⁠It was stressed that the passenger had been detained on ludicrous grounds. Arunachal Pradesh is indisputably Indian territory and its residents are perfectly entitled to hold and travel with Indian passports. ⁠It has also been highlighted that the actions of the Chinese authorities are in contravention of the Chicago and Montreal Conventions relating to civil aviation. At a time when both sides are working on restoring normalcy, such actions by the Chinese side introduce unnecessary obstructions to the process," said a senior official.

Thongdok said several officers and China Eastern Airlines staff mocked her, laughed at her, and even suggested she "apply for a Chinese passport".

What was supposed to be a routine transit, she claimed, turned into a prolonged confinement in the airport's transit area, where she was allegedly denied clear information, proper food, and access to basic facilities, according to a report by NDTV.

Thongdok alleged that her passport was confiscated and she was barred from boarding her onward flight to Japan despite holding a valid visa.

Confined to the transit zone, she said she could not rebook tickets, purchase meals, or move between terminals.

She further claimed officials pressured her to buy a fresh ticket specifically on China Eastern and hinted that her passport would only be returned after doing so, resulting in financial losses from missed flights and hotel bookings.

She managed to contact the Indian Consulate in Shanghai through a friend in the UK, following which Indian officials intervened and escorted her onto a late-night departure from the city.

In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and senior authorities, Thongdok described the incident as a "direct insult to India's sovereignty and to the citizens of Arunachal Pradesh".

She urged the Indian government to take up the matter with Beijing, demand accountability and disciplinary action against the immigration and airline staff involved, and seek compensation.

She also requested assurances that Indians from Arunachal Pradesh will not face such difficulties while travelling internationally in the future.

- IANS