‘Physically checked male officer, stripped off warm wear’: Indian woman alleges racial profiling at US airport | World News

An Indian entrepreneur in the US has alleged she was detained American authorities at Alaska’s Anchorage airport for over eight hours, interrogated over a power bank in her luggage, physically frisked a male officer, and denied even a phone call—all without any charges.Shruti Chaturvedi, founder of the India Action Project and digital storytelling platform Chaaipani, took to social media platform X to narrate her ordeal. In a detailed post, she accused US police and the FBI of racial profiling, stating she was treated with undue suspicion simply because of her nationality.
“Imagine being detained Police and FBI for 8 hours, being questioned the most ridiculous things, physically checked 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.

Imagine being detained Police and FBI for 8 hours, being questioned the most ridiculous things, physically checked 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
“I don’t have to imagine, already past the worst 7 hours. And we all know why,” she added, tagging External Affairs Miner S Jaishankar and the Minry of External Affairs.
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She claimed she was not informed of the reason for her prolonged detention and alleged that even after being cleared, officials kept her luggage and handed her a “frivolous duffle” bag instead.
“They let me and my friend go after 8 hours of nonsense and not finding anything. They still kept the whole luggage bag,” she wrote in a follow-up post, adding, “Out of India, Indians are pretty powerless.”
According to the official website of the US Transportation Security Adminration (TSA), portable chargers or power banks containing lithium-ion batteries must be packed in carry-on baggage, not in checked luggage. Chaturvedi has stated that hers was in the carry-on bag, suggesting the reaction was disproportionate.
The incident comes amid increasing scrutiny US authorities of travellers from abroad, particularly against the backdrop of a broader crackdown on illegal immigrants. Indian nationals have recently reported mreatment, including being shackled during deportations. While India is not among the 43 countries recently targeted former President Donald Trump’s restrictive immigration proposal, neighbouring nations like Pakan, Afghanan, and Bhutan are.Story continues below this ad

Chaturvedi, who had earlier shared photos from her Alaskan trip—documenting a drive down the Dalton Highway, crossing the Arctic Circle, and watching the Northern Lights—said she shared her experience publicly only after leaving the US for fear of further harassment.
So far, there has been no response from the Minry of External Affairs or the US Embassy in India. For now, Chaturvedi’s words hang heavy: “Especially when you aren’t even allowed to make a phone call to anyone in India.”