Keralite vlogger says Afghan authorities in Bamyan threatened arrest over solo travel
A Keralite travel vlogger says authorities in Afghanistan's Bamyan province threatened to arrest her for travelling alone, and that she was later allowed to continue after a permit and guide were arranged.
A Kerala-based woman travel vlogger who had earlier said she was arrested by the "Mujahideen" in Afghanistan has now stated that local authorities in Bamyan threatened to arrest her, citing a law that bars women from travelling without a male companion or guide.
Writing on her Facebook page, Backpacker Arunima, the vlogger said the country's rules do not permit a woman to travel alone. She added that she had previously been refused a permit in Jalalabad for the same reason.
According to her account, she reached Bamyan at around 7 pm, where officials questioned her about her passport, visa and permit. She said she was told she had broken the law and would be arrested, which left her deeply frightened.
She then contacted a man who had helped her reach Bamyan, and he spoke to the authorities on her behalf. The officials maintained that she needed a permit and had to travel with a guide, she said. After discussions, she was allowed to move on towards the next country.
"I had to go through all this only because I am a woman," the vlogger said, adding that she planned to cover roughly 500 kilometres towards the Uzbekistan border and expected to pass through several checkpoints.
She said she was terrified and worried about her safety, which prompted her to post an Instagram story in the hope that someone would help. In an earlier post, she had asked for assistance in contacting the Indian embassy, writing, "I am in trouble in Afghanistan. I am in Bamyan."
In that post, she also shared what she described as a translation of an official communication from local authorities, stating that she had been arrested by the "Mujahideen". Her claims could not be independently verified.