'Stripped, checked by male officer': Indian woman's 8-hr US Airport ordeal

Indian entrepreneur Shruti Chaturvedi recounts her harrowing 8-hour detention at an Alaska airport over a 'suspicious' power bank

Indian entrepreneur Shruti Chaturvedi has shared her distressing experience of being detained for eight hours at an airport in Alaska, after airport security flagged a power bank in her luggage as ‘suspicious’. In a post on X this morning, Chaturvedi, the founder of India Action Project and Chaaipani, described the ordeal as the ‘worst’ she had ever encountered.

 

According to Chaturvedi, the incident occurred at Anchorage Airport, where she was subjected to a series of uncomfortable and invasive procedures. She claimed she was stripped of her warm clothing, forced to wait in a cold room, and questioned by both the police and FBI agents. The authorities also denied her permission to use the restroom and even took her mobile phone and wallet, preventing her from making any phone calls.

 

 

“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’,” Chaturvedi wrote in her post.

 

She also expressed her frustration at the ordeal, tagging India’s Ministry of External Affairs, and added, “I don’t have to imagine, already past the worst 7 hours. And we all know why.”

 

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 Chaturvedi ???????? (@adhicutting) April 8, 2025

 

Chaturvedi’s experience highlights growing concerns over US immigration policies, particularly under the administration of US President Donald Trump. Stricter measures at US airports have led to numerous reports of travellers, including tourists and visa holders, being detained for extended periods, prompting countries like Germany and Canada to update their travel advisories to the US.