A Scottish hiker has alleged that she was detained at Delhi airport on Thursday for carrying a Garmin Inreach device, a GPS and satellite messaging gadget reportedly banned in India.
In a video shared on Instagram, the hiker, identified as Heather, claimed she was stopped by security while attempting to board a flight to Rishikesh.
“At around 10:30 am, while passing through security at Delhi Airport for an internal flight to Rishikesh, I placed my Garmin Inreach in the tray for scanning. I was immediately pulled aside by security and asked to wait,” Heather explained in her post.
She stated that security personnel informed her the Garmin Inreach device was prohibited in India and that she would be handed over to the police.
“I waited for what felt like ages, unsure of what was happening. Eventually, I was told the Garmin was illegal in this country and that I was being handed over to the police. I contacted the Embassy during the wait but was informed they couldn’t intervene as this was a legal matter,” she wrote.
Heather added that she was subsequently taken to a police station, where she was questioned and asked to sign multiple documents.
“I was taken to the police station and questioned in a fairly amicable manner. I signed several documents. I didn’t choose a ‘no comment’ stance, perhaps unwisely, but honesty is my nature, and there was no ill intent on my part,” she wrote.
