Shanghai: A UK woman of Indian origin from Arunachal Pradesh has alleged that Chinese immigration officials at Shanghai Pudong Airport detained and harassed her for hours after they refused to accept her Indian passport during a transit stop.
Prema Wangjom Thongdok, who was traveling from London to Japan on November 21 and had a three-hour layover, said her ordeal continued for 18 hours after officials declared her passport “invalid” because it listed Arunachal Pradesh as her birthplace.
According to her, immigration officials told her, “Arunachal Pradesh is part of China.”
She said several officials and China Eastern Airlines staff mocked her, laughed at her, and even suggested she “apply for a Chinese passport.”
According to an NDTV report, she claimed that what should have been a routine transit resulted in prolonged detention in the airport’s transit area, where she was allegedly denied clear information, proper food, and access to basic amenities.
Prema alleged that her passport was confiscated and she was prevented from boarding an onward flight to Japan despite possessing a valid visa.
Being confined in the transit zone, she stated that she could not rebook a ticket, buy food, or move between terminals.
She further claimed that officials pressured her to purchase a new ticket, specifically for China Eastern, and implied that her passport would only be returned after doing so, resulting in financial losses due to missed flights and hotel bookings.
She managed to contact the Indian Consulate in Shanghai through a friend in the UK, after which Indian authorities intervened and put her on a flight departing the city late at night.
In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and senior officials, Prema described the incident as “a direct insult to India’s sovereignty and the citizens of Arunachal Pradesh.”
She urged the Indian government to raise the matter with Beijing, demand accountability and disciplinary action against the immigration and airline staff involved, and demand compensation.
She also sought assurances that Indians from Arunachal Pradesh will not face such difficulties while traveling internationally in the future.
