KATHMANDU, Nov 5: The Embassy of Nepal in New Delhi has sought clarification from Qatar Airways after a Nepali passenger travelling to Germany was reportedly offloaded at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport, triggering public outrage over alleged mistreatment of Nepali nationals during transit in India.
Nepali Ambassador to India Dr Shankar Sharma on Tuesday met Qatar’s Ambassador to India, Mohammed Hassan Jaber Al-Jaber, to raise concerns regarding the incident involving Sambhavi Adhikari, who was prevented from boarding her connecting flight to Berlin via Doha.
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According to Surendra Thapa, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Nepali Embassy in New Delhi, Ambassador Sharma requested details about the circumstances under which Adhikari was denied boarding. “Qatar’s Ambassador has assured that he will contact the Qatar Airways office in Delhi, seek details about the incident and inform the Nepali mission accordingly,” Thapa told Republica.
The incident surfaced after Adhikari wrote on Facebook that she was barred from boarding despite holding a valid visa and other relevant documents, prompting widespread criticism online. Many Nepalis have since shared similar experiences of alleged harassment by immigration and airport officials in Delhi airport and urged fellow travellers to avoid transiting through the airport.
India’s Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) stated in a press statement earlier that the decision to offload Adhikari was made by the airline, denying any role of Indian immigration in the matter and rejecting suggestions of discrimination against Nepali citizens. “International transit passengers are not required to approach Indian Immigration for their onward journey and this is a matter between the airline and the passenger with absolutely no role of Indian immigration authorities,” the MHA stated.
Indian authorities further said the airline declined Adhikari’s boarding due to concerns over her visa validity and subsequently flew her back to Kathmandu. Adhikari, however, has maintained that her visa was valid, stating she confirmed it with the German Embassy in Kathmandu and successfully travelled to Germany on a rescheduled itinerary via a different route.
Following the issue going viral, dozens of Nepali travellers have reported similar experiences on social media, describing what they allege are frequent incidents of humiliation and mistreatment against Nepali nationals at Delhi airport security and immigration checks. Many suggested Nepalis to avoid using Delhi as a transit point whenever possible.
