An Indian citizen from Arunachal Pradesh faced an 18-hour detention at Shanghai airport after Chinese immigration officials declared her Indian passport invalid, sparking diplomatic concerns and highlighting ongoing territorial disputes between the two nations.
The Harrowing Ordeal Begins
Prema Wangjom Thongdok, an Indian citizen residing in the United Kingdom for approximately 14 years, was traveling from London's Gatwick Airport to Japan via Shanghai when her transit turned into a nightmare. The incident occurred on November 21, 2025, when Chinese immigration officials singled her out from the queue after she had already cleared electronic gates.
"I had basically crossed e-gates, standing in the queue for my next flight, and then one of the officials from the Chinese immigration came over and singled me out of the queue," Thongdok recounted to ANI. "When I asked her what was happening, she didn't say much, just asked me to follow her."
Confrontation and Mockery
The situation escalated quickly when officials explicitly denied the validity of her Indian passport based on her birthplace. "She went on to say, 'Arunachal- not India, China-China, your visa is not acceptable. Your passport is invalid,'" Thongdok described.
What followed was even more distressing as the officials began mocking and laughing at her predicament. "When I tried to question them, they said, 'Arunachal is not part of India' and started mocking and laughing, saying things like 'you should apply for the Chinese passport, you're Chinese, you're not Indian,'" she revealed.
Thongdok emphasized the humiliation of the experience, noting that airport and airline staff joined in laughing and pointing at her passport. She had previously transited through Shanghai without any issues, making this sudden detention particularly shocking.
Stranded Without Communication
Compounding her distress was the complete communication blackout she experienced. Due to China's internet restrictions, she couldn't access platforms like Google and WhatsApp, leaving her isolated and unable to seek immediate help.
"I couldn't reach out for any help from anyone as there were wifi issues and social platforms like Google and Whatsapp don't work in the country," she explained, highlighting the vulnerability of travelers in such situations.
Fortunately, Indian embassy officials from Shanghai and Beijing intervened, providing crucial support during her prolonged wait. She was eventually able to leave the airport around 10:30 PM after more than 18 hours of detention.
Appeal for Government Action
Following her ordeal, Thongdok has made passionate appeals to the Indian government for diplomatic intervention. "We are part of India... We speak 'shuddh Hindi', we don't understand C of Chinese, we are all Indian," she asserted emotionally.
She specifically requested that "the government of India raise this on a diplomatic level with the Chinese authorities." Thongdok emphasized that "this is not something a regular citizen can resolve" and called for strict action against such harassment tactics.
Thongdok has taken proactive steps by writing to multiple authorities, including the Ministry of External Affairs, PMO, Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, and the Foreign Secretary, urging them to prevent similar incidents affecting other Indian citizens.
Pattern of Harassment Suspected
The timing of the incident raised suspicions of deliberate tactics by Chinese authorities. Thongdok noted that the detention occurred during the weekend when government offices are typically closed, reducing the chances of immediate official intervention.
"Just to be harassed for so many hours, I think it might be quite a tactic used by the Chinese government to hassle citizens of India, especially from Arunachal Pradesh," she speculated, while expressing gratitude to the Indian embassy team that secured her release.
Before her interview with ANI, Thongdok had already brought attention to her case through social media, posting on X and tagging government authorities including Union Minister Kiran Rijiju (who hails from Arunachal Pradesh) and the PMO office.
The Ministry of External Affairs has yet to issue an official statement regarding this incident, which adds to the growing list of diplomatic tensions between India and China concerning the status of Arunachal Pradesh.
