Indian vlogger detained for 15 hours in China over Arunachal posts

An Indian travel vlogger was detained by Chinese authorities for nearly 15 hours after his social media comments related to Arunachal Pradesh allegedly triggered an alert during his entry into China. 

The vlogger, Anant Mittal, popularly known online as On Road Indian, shared details of the incident through an Instagram post and a subsequent YouTube video, describing the experience as distressing and frightening.

The incident occurred on November 16, when Mittal was stopped at immigration immediately after landing in China. 

According to him, a sticker placed on his passport activated an alert in the system, following which he was escorted to a detention area where several other foreign nationals were being held. He said no explanation was provided for hours, leading him to realise the seriousness of the situation.

Mittal stated that Chinese officials later took him to another room and confiscated his phone and camera to prevent him from recording. He claimed he was able to document his experience only because his iPad was overlooked during the security check. He alleged that he remained in detention for several hours without food, was given water only once, and repeatedly sought assistance while feeling scared and uncertain about his fate.

In his account, Mittal linked the detention to a video he had earlier posted expressing concern over an Arunachal Pradesh resident allegedly detained in China. He said he had studied in the Northeast for three years and felt a deep emotional connection to the region, which prompted him to speak out. He emphasised that he has no political affiliations or intentions and that his work is limited to travel vlogging and cultural storytelling.

After nearly 15 hours, an official reportedly informed him that the “process” was complete and instructed him to leave the country. Mittal said he returned to India safely and clarified that his subsequent video narrating the incident was not recorded under any pressure. He also issued an apology if his remarks had hurt anyone, describing himself as an ordinary individual with no standing against major powers.

“I am very small in front of these big powers. We have no aukaat,” he said in an emotional message, adding that he blamed himself for posting the video related to Arunachal Pradesh.

The incident sparked widespread reactions on social media, with many users expressing support for the vlogger and defending his right to speak on Arunachal Pradesh. 

Several users criticised the manner of his detention and urged him to formally raise the matter with the Ministry of External Affairs, while others questioned his public expression of regret and fear.