Indian entrepreneur Shruti Chaturvedi has alleged that she and a companion were detained for nearly eight hours by US airport authorities and federal agents at Anchorage Airport, Alaska, over what officials termed a “suspicious” power bank in her handbag.
In a detailed account posted on social media platform X after leaving the United States, Chaturvedi described the ordeal. She claimed that during the eight-hour detention, she was interrogated extensively, physically searched by a male officer on camera, and denied basic rights such as access to a restroom, warm clothing, and even a single phone call.
“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,” she said.
According to Chaturvedi, the FBI and local police were involved in the questioning, which she characterized as “nonsense,” and ultimately released both individuals after finding no wrongdoing. However, she said authorities confiscated her entire luggage and returned a “frivolous duffle to keep luggage”. In an update she assured that she was alright and out of USA saying, “Hi! I am alright and posted this only after I was out of USA. They let me and my friend go after 8 hours of nonsense and not finding anything. they still kept the whole luggage bag and gave a frivolous duffle to keep luggage. Anyway – the point is – out of India Indians are pretty powerless. Especially when you aren’t even allowed to make a phone call to anyone in India.”
As of now, there has been no official statement from US authorities regarding the incident.
