The New Indian Express ·
Keralite vlogger says Afghan authorities threatened arrest over solo travel without male companion
A Keralite travel vlogger who sparked concern after claiming she had been “arrested” by “Mujahideen” in Afghanistan’s Bamyan has clarified that she was not ultimately arrested, but said local authorities threatened to detain her for travelling alone without a male companion or the required permits.
In a detailed clarification posted after her initial social media message, the vlogger, known as Backpacker Arunima, said she was travelling alone in Afghanistan when she reached Bamyan in the evening after taking a lift in a lorry.
She said it was around 7 pm and already dark when she arrived, prompting local residents to approach her because women are not permitted to travel alone at night in the country. She said they checked her passport and visa and asked where she planned to stay.
