Indian Woman Faces 18-Hour Ordeal at Shanghai Airport
A woman from Arunachal Pradesh currently living in the United Kingdom has made shocking allegations about her detention at Shanghai airport in China. Prema Wangjom Thongdok claimed that immigration officials held her for nearly 18 hours after refusing to acknowledge the validity of her Indian passport during a transit stop.
The incident occurred on November 21, 2025, when Thongdok was traveling from London to Japan with a scheduled three-hour stopover in Shanghai. What should have been a routine transit turned into what she described as a harrowing experience that lasted through the night.
The Disturbing Details of the Detention
In a detailed post on social media platform X on Sunday, Thongdok explained the troubling sequence of events. Chinese immigration officers and China Eastern Airlines staff declared her Indian passport invalid for the sole reason that her birthplace was listed as Arunachal Pradesh.
The authorities insisted that Arunachal Pradesh belongs to China and pressured her to acknowledge their territorial claim before they would process her transit. Thongdok, whose family hails from Rupa in West Kameng district, refused to comply with this demand.
She described being confined to the transit area without proper explanations, adequate food, or access to basic facilities. Her passport was confiscated, and she was prevented from boarding her connecting flight to Japan despite carrying a valid visa for her destination.
Diplomatic Implications and Background
This incident occurs against the backdrop of China's longstanding claim over Arunachal Pradesh, which it refers to as 'South Tibet'. India has consistently and categorically rejected these assertions, maintaining that the northeastern state has always been an integral part of India.
Thongdok eventually reached the Indian consulate in Shanghai with assistance from a friend in the UK. Consulate officials helped her secure a late-night flight out of the Chinese city, ending her ordeal.
Since the incident, Thongdok has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior authorities, calling her experience a direct affront to India's sovereignty and to the people of Arunachal Pradesh.
She has urged the Indian government to take strong action with Beijing, demand accountability, seek disciplinary measures against those involved, and request appropriate compensation for the harassment she endured.
Pattern of Chinese Provocations
This episode echoes China's criticized practice of issuing stapled visas instead of stamped visas to residents of Arunachal Pradesh. India has repeatedly denounced this practice as challenging its sovereignty.
Several athletes, students, and officials from the state have previously been denied entry into China after refusing to accept stapled visas. These incidents have prompted India to protest and even cancel bilateral exchanges on multiple occasions.
An official in Itanagar expressed concern that China might be extending its stapled-visa logic to international transit points, potentially targeting travelers from Arunachal Pradesh even when they are merely passing through Chinese airports.
China has previously attempted to assert its position through various measures including renaming villages in Arunachal Pradesh, issuing 'standard maps' claiming Indian territory, and objecting to Indian leaders' visits to the state.
The Ministry of External Affairs has consistently dismissed China's assertions. Earlier in May, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that India unequivocally rejects China's vain attempts to rename places in Arunachal Pradesh, emphasizing that the state was, is, and will always remain an integral part of India.
