Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 08:02am on 26 Nov 2025,Wednesday India Global
Prema Wangjom Thongdok, from Arunachal Pradesh and living in the UK, was held for 18 hours at Shanghai Pudong airport while transiting from London to Japan. Chinese officials claimed her Indian passport was “invalid” because it listed Arunachal Pradesh as her birthplace. She said officers mocked her, told her “Arunachal is not part of India,” and suggested she apply for a Chinese passport. Thongdok said she had “no access to food, couldn’t use Google” and was denied boarding despite a valid visa. She contacted the Indian consulate, who helped her leave via Thailand. India lodged a strong protest, calling it humiliating and a challenge to its sovereignty. (PC: HT)
