Indian YouTuber alleges 15-hour detention in China over Arunachal remarks

New Delhi: Anant Mittal, an Indian travel vlogger, has alleged that he was detained for nearly 15 hours by Chinese authorities at an airport in China after making remarks that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India.

Mittal, who runs the YouTube channel On Road Indian, said he was stopped during immigration checks and questioned before being taken to a detention area. In a video shared after his return to India, he claimed that during the detention he was allowed to drink water only once and was not provided any food.

According to Mittal, the incident began at the immigration counter, where officials initially asked routine questions. He said the situation changed after an officer placed a sticker on his passport and called a senior official, who escorted him to a holding area. News18 earlier reported details of the incident.

Mittal said the room where he was held also had a Korean national and several Bangladeshi citizens. After around two hours, he was taken to another room for questioning, where officials asked about his travel plans, purpose of visit and intended purchases.

He alleged that officials searched his luggage and confiscated his electronic devices, including cameras and phones, leaving him with only his iPhone. Using the device, Mittal managed to record limited footage of the detention area but said he was unable to contact the Indian Embassy or acquaintances.

Mittal further claimed that officials later identified him as a YouTuber, following which he believed his remarks on Arunachal Pradesh had led to the detention. He had earlier expressed those views while travelling in China.

In footage recorded on his iPad and shared later, Mittal is seen requesting food, which he says was denied despite his offer to pay. He claimed that other detainees were provided meals, but none was offered to him.

He said he was not informed of the reason for his detention and remained in custody for nearly 15 hours before being told that the process was complete and that he would be sent back to India.

In a subsequent video, Mittal said he was an ordinary citizen with no involvement in diplomatic or border matters. He added that he had friends in China who had supported him during the early stages of his start-up. He also acknowledged that speaking on sensitive territorial issues while travelling in China may not have been appropriate.

Mittal said his comments were made in support of Pem Wang Thongdok, an Indian woman based in the UK, who had alleged that she was detained for over 18 hours at Shanghai Pudong International Airport in November. According to her account, Chinese authorities had told her that her Indian passport was “invalid” as she was born in Arunachal Pradesh.

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