An Indian woman reported that Shanghai Pudong Airport officials refused to accept her Indian passport. She said the officials questioned the validity of her passport because it listed Arunachal Pradesh as her place of birth. According to her statement to national media, the officials claimed Arunachal Pradesh belonged to China.
Details of the Transit Stop
Prema Wangjom Thongdok left London for Japan on November 21. She had a transit halt in Shanghai. She said immigration officials scrutinised her passport and detected that her birthplace was in Arunachal Pradesh. Following this, they informed her that the passport was invalid. She further said that immigration officials and the staff of China Eastern Airlines laughed at her and suggested that she apply for a Chinese passport.
Restrictions at the Airport
She said she held a valid visa, yet her passport was taken away. She was not given permission to board her connecting flight to Japan. She reported that she stayed stuck in the transit area unable to rebook tickets or buy food.
Assistance from Indian Authorities
Until a friend in the UK called the Indian Embassy in Shanghai, she was given no assistance. She said Indian officials facilitated her exit out of the airport. She also said she wrote to Prime Minister Modi and other senior officials. In her letter, she described the incident as an insult to India’s sovereignty and to the people of Arunachal Pradesh. There has been no official response so far. She currently resides in the UK.
