Mumbai, December 23: An Indian travel vlogger-cum-YouTuber was allegedly detained for 15 hours in China after making a comment affirming Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India. He posted a reel on Instagram and a long video on YouTube on December 23, detailing the incident which, according to him, happened on November 16. He broke down while recounting the ordeal. In the caption, the YouTuber also apologised for "getting emotional" over a previous incident of the alleged detention of a person from Arunchal Pradesh in China. The Indian authorities have so far not reacted to the incident.

In his video, the vlogger, who runs the channel "On Road Indian", said his detention reportedly stemmed from a statement made by the vlogger, asserting India's sovereignty over Arunachal Pradesh, a region China claims as its own. He further said that he was detained for approximately 15 hours. Reflecting on the ordeal, the vlogger expressed a sense of powerlessness, stating, "I'm small in front of big..."

"China mein mai immigration par pocha. As always, they are very professional and they asked me normal questions which are asked during the process. Usen fir sticker laga diya or uske bad jaise hi wo stamp lagane gaya but usne stamp nahi lagaya jab tak maine thank you nhi bola (I went to immigration in China. As always, they were professional and asked routine questions. They put a sticker on my passport but did not stamp it until I said thank you)," he said. Indian-Origin UK Woman Prema Wangjom Thongdok Harassed by Officials at Shanghai Pudong Airport in China Over Arunachal Pradesh Mention on Passport (Watch Video).

He further said: "Unhone apne officer ko bulaya aur bolre hai esko le jao. Mere ko detention area mein le gaye, ek jagah le jakar baitha diya. Mai ghabra raha tha ki kya ho raha hai ye. Mujhko laga shayad un logo ko aur clarifications karne hai as immigration aaj kal tough bhi ho rahe hai (They called their officer and said, 'Take him away'. I was taken to the detention area and seated. I was nervous and thought maybe they needed further clarification as immigration has become stricter lately)."

Indian Vlogger Breaks Down After Release From Detention in China Over Arunachal Pradesh Comment

 

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During the questioning, he was asked about his travel purpose, where he came from and what he intended to buy. "Unhone mera iPad tha wo nahi liya, baki sab jitne bhi devices the wo unhone mujhse le liye. nhone bola ki tum YouTuber ho (We talked for about half an hour. Then they opened my bag and checked it. They did not take my iPad but took all other devices)."

After some time, the officers told the vlogger, who is an IIT-Guwahati dropout, that he is a YouTuber, which led him to believe that his comment about Arunachal Pradesh had caused the issue.

"Mujhko samjh aa gaya jo issue maine raise kara tha wo galat direction mein chala gaya and mujhko realise ho raha ki mujhko wo nahi karna tha. Mera kaam hai ghumna, firna, wapis aana apne desh mein. China, India ka land dispute chal raha hai, unke desh mein khade ho kar bolne ka mujhe koi right nahi hai (I realised that the issue I had raised had gone in the wrong direction and I understood that I should not have done it. My job is to travel, explore, and return to my own country. There is a land dispute between China and India, and I have no right to speak about it while being in their country)," he said.

"Ek chota sa Arunachal Pradesh ka stand hi toh liya tha maine, uske liye inhone kamre mein daal diya Bangladesh immigrants ke sath. Unko khana diya, mujhko khana bhi nhi diya (I had only taken a small stand on Arunachal Pradesh, and for that, they put me in a room with Bangladeshi immigrants. They gave them food but did not give me any)," the vlogger said after being released.

The YouTuber is talking about Pem Wang Thongdok, an Indian woman living in UK, who had alleged that she was detained for over 18 hours at Shanghai Pudong International Airport in November. Chinese authorities had reportedly told her that her Indian passport was "invalid" because she was born in Arunachal Pradesh, falsely implying that the state was a part of China. ‘Arunachal Pradesh Is Integral Part of India’: MEA Condemns Arbitrary Detention of Indian-Origin UK Woman at China Airport, Reaffirms Sovereignty Over Arunachal.

Indian Detained in China Over ‘Arunachal Pradesh Is Part of India’ Remarks

India-China Dispute: Geopolitical Context

Arunachal Pradesh, located in India's northeastern region, is a significant flashpoint in the long-standing territorial dispute between India and China. China claims the entire state as "Zangnan" or South Tibet, asserting historical ties to the region.

India, conversely, firmly rejects these claims, maintaining that Arunachal Pradesh is an undisputed and integral part of its territory. The Line of Actual Control (LAC), the de facto border between the two countries, has been the site of numerous standoffs and occasional clashes, including a deadly skirmish in the Galwan Valley in 2020 and another near Tawang in late 2022.

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(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 24, 2025 03:47 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).