Indian travel vlogger Anant Mittal, better known online as On Road Indian, has claimed that he was detained by Chinese authorities for almost 15 hours after comments he had made on social media regarding Arunachal Pradesh. In a detailed Instagram post, Mittal described the episode as deeply unsettling and emotionally exhausting, repeatedly saying “humaari koi aukaat nahi” to convey how powerless and vulnerable he felt while being questioned.
According to Mittal, the incident took place on November 16. He said that Chinese officials subjected him to prolonged questioning before eventually releasing him later the same day. He did not specify the exact location of the detention but stressed that the experience left him shaken.
In a YouTube video titled Indian Tourist Detained In China for 15 Hours, which was uploaded on Tuesday, Mittal narrated the sequence of events and attempted to clarify his position. He said he has no political connections, no ideological agenda and no intention of provoking any government. His work, he explained, is centred purely on travel, personal experiences and storytelling, with the aim of sharing cultures and human stories from different parts of the world.
Mittal also spoke about his personal connection to India’s Northeast, saying he studied there for three years and developed a strong emotional bond with the region. He explained that his comments about Arunachal Pradesh were not made to inflame tensions, but were driven by concern after he came across news of an Arunachal Pradesh resident allegedly being detained in China.
He believes that a video he made expressing his feelings about that earlier incident may have drawn the attention of Chinese authorities and ultimately led to his own detention. Despite what he described as an intimidating and distressing experience, Mittal reiterated that he continues to stand for peace, mutual respect and cultural exchange through travel.
His account comes close on the heels of another incident involving an Indian national from Arunachal Pradesh, identified as Prema, who reportedly faced an 18-hour ordeal at Shanghai airport while transiting to Japan about a month earlier. She alleged that Chinese officials detained, harassed and verbally abused her during the transit process.
According to Prema’s account, she was singled out after officials examined her Indian passport. She claimed that officers told her the document was invalid because, in their view, Arunachal Pradesh is part of China. She recalled one officer using a translation application to convey the message, saying, “Arunachal is part of China. Your passport is invalid.”
Together, the two incidents have raised concerns among Indian travellers and online creators about the treatment of Indian nationals in China, particularly those with links to Arunachal Pradesh or who have spoken publicly about the region.
