A Scottish hiker, Heather, was detained at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport on Thursday for carrying a Garmin inReach GPS device, which is banned in India. Heather was en route to Rishikesh when airport security discovered the device during a routine scan and handed her over to the police.
Sharing her ordeal on Instagram, Heather warned other travelers against bringing satellite communicators to India. “Do not try to travel to India with a Garmin inReach or any other satellite communicator,” she wrote in her post, emphasizing, “They are illegal here.”
In an Instagram video, Heather recounted how even contacting her embassy yielded no assistance, as the matter was under Indian jurisdiction. She also alleged that the police denied her access to water during her detention.
Describing the incident in detail, Heather explained, “At around 10.30 am, I was passing through security at Delhi Airport with the intention of taking an internal flight to Rishikesh. I innocently placed my Garmin inReach in the tray to go through the scanner, and at that moment I was promptly pulled aside by security and told to wait.”
- Advertisement -
She added that after a prolonged wait, she was informed that her device was illegal in India and would be confiscated. “I was eventually taken to the police station where I was questioned, in a fairly friendly manner, and made to sign document after document. I didn’t take the ‘no comment’ stance, foolishly or not, it is my nature to be honest, and after all, there was absolutely no intent on my behalf,” Heather wrote.
View this post on Instagram
After nearly 11 hours in custody, Heather was released around 9 pm but was instructed to appear in court later. Reflecting on the incident, she said, “I am not the only person who has fallen victim to this law. Hence, I felt compelled to write this post.” She also referenced a similar case involving a Canadian runner detained in December for carrying a comparable device.
The Canadian woman, detained on December 6 at Goa’s Dabolim International Airport, was traveling to Kochi when her Garmin GPS device was flagged during security screening. Armed guards escorted her from the line, and she missed her flight. Held for four hours, she was fined $11 but had to pay over $2,000 in legal fees and bail.
Despite the overwhelming experience, Heather hoped her story would serve as a cautionary tale for other travelers. “I don’t know what the outcome will be,” she said, adding, “I guess I will just have to wait.”
