 "‘Checked by male officer, no restoom break’: The ordeal of Indian woman detained for 8 hours at US airport")
An Indian entrepreneur Shruti Chaturvedi was on her way through a US airport when her journey took an unexpected and distressing turn.
What should have been a routine security check quickly spiralled into an eight-hour-long ordeal. She says she was “physically checked” by a male officer, made to sit alone in a cold room and not even allowed to make a phone call back home.
All of this, she says, happened because airport security officials found a power bank in her luggage “suspicious”.
Here’s everything to know about what happened to her.
Chaturvedi recalls her ‘worst’ experience
In a now-viral post on X, Indian entrepreneur Shruti Chaturvedi — founder of the Indian Action Project and public relations firm Chaaipani — opened up about what she described as her “worst” experience while travelling through Anchorage Airport in Alaska.
She shared that during her detention, she was made to strip off her warm clothing while being held in a cold room. For eight long hours, she said she wasn’t allowed to use the restroom or make a single phone call.
“Imagine being detained by Police and FBI for 8 hours, being questioned the most ridiculous things, physically checked by a male officer on camera, stripped off warm wear, mobile phone, wallet, kept in chilled room, not allowed to use a restroom, or make a single phone call, made to miss your flight – all because the airport security found your powerbank in handbag ‘suspicious’,” she wrote.
Imagine being detained by Police and FBI for 8 hours, being questioned the most ridiculous things, physically checked by a male officer on camera, stripped off warm wear, mobile phone, wallet, kept in chilled room, not allowed to use a restroom, or make a single phone call, made…
— Shruti H Chaturvedii 🇮🇳 (@shrutiic29) April 8, 2025
“I don’t have to imagine, already past the worst 7 hours. And we all know why,” she added, tagging India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and the Ministry of External Affairs in her post.
Chaturvedi, who was on a trip to Alaska at the time, had earlier shared moments from her journey on social media — including stunning photos of the Northern Lights. “Flew to Alaska, drove through the Dalton Highway, crossed the Arctic Circle, and watched the Northern Lights from the room balcony on the night I was not prepared to see one,” she wrote.
‘Indians are powerless outside India’
In a follow-up post, Chaturvedi revealed that she waited until she had left the US to share her experience.
“Hi! I am alright and posted this only after I was out of the USA. They let me and my friend go after 8 hours of nonsense and not finding anything. They still kept the whole luggage bag and gave a frivolous duffle to keep the luggage,” she wrote.
“Anyway — the point is — outside of India, Indians are pretty powerless. Especially when you aren’t even allowed to make a phone call to anyone in India,” she added.
Hi! I am alright and posted this only after I was out of USA. They let me and my friend go after 8 hours of nonsense and not finding anything. they still kept the whole luggage bag and gave a frivolous duffle to keep luggage. Anyway - the point is - out of India Indians are…
— Shruti H Chaturvedii 🇮🇳 (@shrutiic29) April 8, 2025
Her account has since sparked widespread concern about how Indian travellers are being treated abroad, especially in the US, where immigration policies and security checks have grown increasingly strict following Donald Trump’s White House comeback.
Also read: Indian migrants fear for safety as US border arrests hit four-year low
Indian students being deported over minor offences
In recent weeks, dozens of Indian students studying in the United States have received troubling emails from their universities, informing them that their F-1 student visas had been revoked and that they must leave the country immediately, The Times of India reported.
These messages, sent by the students’ Designated School Officials (DSOs), cited various past criminal charges, ranging from something as minor as changing lanes improperly to more serious allegations like drunk driving and shoplifting, as the basis for the visa cancellations.
“ISS [International Student Services] is writing to inform you that your SEVIS record was terminated …” read one of the emails.
The termination of a SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) record essentially means that the individual no longer holds valid F-1 non-immigrant status. This system, maintained by the Department of Homeland Security, is used to monitor international students and their legal standing in the US.
“If your visa has been revoked, this means that the F-1 visa in your passport is no longer valid,” the email further explained. “If you are in the US, you may need to make plans for immediate departure.”
According to university statements, at least 39 students have been affected so far. The Guardian reported that these include students from prestigious institutions such as UC Berkeley, UCLA, UC San Diego, Stanford, Ohio State, the University of Tennessee, the University of Kentucky, Minnesota State University, and the University of Oregon.
The affected students have reportedly been told to self-deport using the CBP Home App. Failure to do so, officials have warned, could result in forced deportation and a potential ban on applying for US visas in the future.
This wave of deportations comes amid growing scrutiny of international students. During the Trump administration, students involved in pro-Palestinian activism were under particular watch, with some facing detentions — including the high-profile case of Mahmoud Khalil , a green card holder who led protests at Columbia University.
But this time, many students facing visa termination say they have no known links to any political activism.
With input from agencies
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