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'Arunachal is part of China': Indian citizen harassed, detained at Shanghai airport; passport withheld

A woman from Arunachal Pradesh was allegedly harrassed and detained at China's Shanghai airport for eighteen hours after the authorities refused to recognise her indian passport as valid, claiming that the region is part of China. According to the woman, Pem Wang Thongdok, she was at the Shanghai airport for a three-hour transit halt while travelling from London to Japan on November 21. 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', Thongdok was quoted as saying by India Today. When she questioned why her passport is not valid, the officer allegedly replied, Arunachal is a part of China. Your passport is invalid. Thongdok alleged that her passport was withheld, and she was prevented from boarding her onward flight to Japan despite holding a valid visa. She was also unable to rebook tickets, buy meals, or move between terminals. She alleged that several immigration personnel and China Eastern Airlines staff mockedher, laughed at her and even suggested she get a Chinese passport. 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. Thongdok, however, managed to get in touch with the Indian Consulate in Shanghai through a friend in the UK --where she lives-- and was escorted to a late-night flight by the officials. In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Thongdok called the incident a direct insult to India's sovereignty and to the citizens of Arunachal Pradesh. She also sought action against the immigration officials and assurance from the Indian government that similar incidents would not happen in the future for citizens from Arunachal Pradesh.