New Delhi : An Indian-origin UK resident from Arunachal Pradesh has accused Chinese immigration officials at the Shanghai airport of detaining and harassing her for hours after refusing to recognise her Indian passport during a transit halt.
Prema Wangjom Thongdok was travelling from London to Japan on November 21 with a three-hour layover at Shanghai Pudong Airport.
She alleged that the officers at the immigration counter declared her passport ‘invalid’ because it listed Arunachal Pradesh as her place of birth, adding that officials told her, “Arunachal Pradesh is part of China”.
“After immigration, I submitted my passport and was waiting at security. Just then, an official came and started screaming, ‘India, India,’ with my name and singled me out. When I asked, she took me to the immigration desk and said, ‘Arunachal, not valid passport’,”
When she asked the reason why her Indian passport was not valid, the official simply replied, “Arunachal is a part of China. Your passport is invalid”.
Prema said the official’s response left her confused, recalling that she had transited through Shanghai last year without any issues and had even confirmed with the Chinese Embassy in London that there would be no problem for Indians passing through the city.
She also alleged that multiple immigration personnel and China Eastern Airlines staff mocked her, laughed at her, and even suggested she “apply for a Chinese passport”. What was meant to be a brief transit stretched into an 18-hour ordeal inside the airport, during which she claimed she was denied clear information, proper food, or access to airport facilities.
Furthermore, Prema alleged that her passport was withheld, and she was prevented from boarding her onward flight to Japan despite holding a valid visa.
Confined to the transit area, she said she was unable to rebook tickets, buy meals, or move between terminals. She further claimed that officials pressured her to purchase a new ticket exclusively on China Eastern and implied her passport would be returned only after doing so, leading to financial losses from missed flights and hotel bookings.
She eventually managed to reach the Indian Consulate in Shanghai through a friend in the UK. Indian officials later escorted her to a late-night departure from the Chinese city.
In a letter sent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and senior officials, Prema called the treatment she faced a “direct insult to India’s sovereignty and to the citizens of Arunachal Pradesh”.
She has asked the Indian government to raise the matter with Beijing, seek accountability and disciplinary action against the immigration and airline staff involved, and push for compensation. She also sought assurances that Indians from Arunachal Pradesh will not face such obstacles during international travel going forward.
