British traveler warns after GPS arrest at Delhi airport
A British mountain guide from West Yorkshire has issued a warning for travelers. She shared it shortly after she was arrested at the Delhi airport. The reason might surprise you.
The British woman was arrested at the airport in Delhi, all because she had a Garmin inReach GPS device. In India, such devices are banned according to the Wireless Telegraphy Act of 1933.
Heather was traveling to the northern city of Rishikesh when security at Indira Gandhi International Airport took her device and handed her over to the police. She shared her story on Instagram, warning others not to bring GPS devices or satellite communicators to India.
Via Instagram, she gave a detailed account of what happened at the airport.
I was promptly pulled aside by security and told to wait. I was eventually told that the Garmin was illegal here and that they were handing me over to the Police, she revealed.
After a few hours of waiting, she was taken to the police station, where she was questioned and forced to sign numerous documents. She was finally released around 9 PM but was informed that she must appear in court.
I dont know what the outcome will be at present, this all feels totally overwhelming and I guess I will just have to wait, she added.
The British woman’s problems: another such case
The ban on satellite devices in India results from an outdated law from 1933, which prohibits possessing telecommunications equipment without the proper license. Devices such as the Garmin inReach, designed for communication outside network coverage, are subject to this ban.
Heather emphasized that she is not the only person who has fallen victim to this law. In December of the previous year, a similar case happened to a Canadian runner, Tina Lewis, who was detained at the airport in Goa for having a mini GPS device. After several days of interrogations and court, her case was finally closed.
