US Detained Indian Woman Entrepreneur for 8 Hours at Anchorage airport

ANCHORAGE- Indian entrepreneur Shruti Chaturvedi has reported being detained for eight hours by US authorities at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) after security personnel flagged her power bank as suspicious.

During her detention, Chaturvedi alleges she was subjected to a physical search by male officers, denied access to restrooms and phone calls, and forced to remove warm clothing while kept in a cold room, according to her social media posts addressed to Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.

Photo: By Quintin Soloviev – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=110510516

US Detained Indian Woman Entrepreneur

The incident reportedly involved both local police and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents who questioned Chaturvedi extensively.

According to her account posted on platform X (formerly Twitter), authorities ultimately released her and her traveling companion after finding no evidence of wrongdoing. Despite their release, Chaturvedi states that officials confiscated her luggage, providing only a “frivolous duffle” as a replacement.

Chaturvedi noted that she waited until leaving the United States before sharing her experience publicly. In her post, she expressed concerns about the vulnerability of Indian citizens when traveling abroad, stating: “Out of India, Indians are pretty powerless. Especially when you aren’t even allowed to make a phone call to anyone in India.”

This incident raises questions about the rights of international travelers during security detentions. Standard airport security protocols typically involve separate search areas for male and female passengers, and most international airports maintain policies allowing detained travelers to make phone calls or contact their embassies.

The reported eight-hour detention without access to basic facilities represents an unusually extended security check. While airports maintain heightened security measures, particularly for international travelers, such prolonged detentions without communication privileges are uncommon in routine security procedures.

Diplomatic Considerations

By tagging the Indian External Affairs Minister and Ministry spokesperson in her social media posts, Chaturvedi appears to be seeking diplomatic intervention or acknowledgment of her experience.

The Indian government has previously intervened in cases where citizens reported mistreatment while traveling internationally.

As of the time of writing, neither US authorities nor Anchorage airport officials have issued public statements regarding the incident. Similarly, there has been no reported response from the Indian External Affairs Ministry regarding Chaturvedi’s claims.

Photo: Customs and Border Protection

Similar Incident

An Australian traveler was deported from the United States after being detained for 8 hours at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) following his arrival via Hong Kong (HKG) on Cathay Pacific (CX) instead of taking a direct flight from Sydney (SYD).

The traveler, whose vacation plans were shattered by the incident, lost his $15,000 Florida cruise booking when he missed the sailing due to being denied entry despite having valid documentation and no previous immigration issues.

According to reports, border agents questioned the legitimacy of his travel route from Sydney (SYD) to New York (JFK) via Hong Kong (HKG), considering it suspicious despite being a common cost-saving option for many international travelers.

During his 8-hour detention, officials conducted extensive examinations of his electronic devices, including his laptop and iPhone. The traveler reported that three separate interview teams participated in his interrogation before ultimately deciding to deport him based primarily on his “unusual route” through Asia.

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