Arunachal Woman Alleges Harassment at Shanghai Airport After Officials Reject Indian Passport

An Indian woman from Arunachal Pradesh has alleged that Chinese immigration officials at Shanghai Pudong Airport detained and harassed her for hours after refusing to recognise her Indian passport during a transit stop.

Prema Wangjom Thongdok, who lives in the UK, was travelling from London to Japan on November 21 with a three-hour layover in Shanghai. She claims her ordeal began when Chinese immigration officers declared her passport “invalid” because it mentioned Arunachal Pradesh as her place of birth.

According to Prema, the official told her, “Arunachal is a part of China. Your passport is invalid.”

‘Singled Out and Mocked’

Prema said an airport official shouted “India, India” before pulling her aside and taking her back to the immigration counter. She says officers repeatedly mocked her, laughed at her, and even suggested she “apply for a Chinese passport”.

This, she said, was confusing because she had transited through Shanghai last year without any issues, and the Chinese Embassy in London had confirmed that Indians could transit without special permission.

18-Hour Detention and Withheld Passport

What was supposed to be a three-hour transit turned into an 18-hour ordeal. Prema alleges that:

• Her passport was withheld

• She was blocked from boarding her connecting flight to Japan

• She was denied clear information, mobility access, and proper food

• Airline staff pressured her to buy a new ticket only on China Eastern

• She suffered financial losses from missed flights and hotel cancellations

Stuck inside the transit area, she says she couldn’t even rebook tickets or move between terminals.

Indian Consulate Steps In

Prema managed to contact the Indian Consulate in Shanghai through a friend in the UK. Indian officials later escorted her to a late-night departure flight.

She has since written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior officials, calling the treatment a “direct insult to India’s sovereignty and to the citizens of Arunachal Pradesh.”

She has asked the Indian government to:

• Take up the matter with Beijing

• Seek disciplinary action against the staff involved

• Demand compensation

• Ensure travellers from Arunachal Pradesh are not harassed in future