'Violated rules by traveling alone': Indian vlogger Arunima released after Taliban detention in Afghanistan

Indian solo traveller detained by Taliban in Afghanistan released after ordeal

A solo travel vlogger from the southern Indian state of Kerala has been released after being temporarily detained by Taliban authorities in Bamyan, Afghanistan. Arunima IP, known online as "Backpacker Arunima," sparked widespread concern on social media when she posted an urgent SOS message seeking assistance from the Indian Embassy. She claimed local Taliban members had detained her for violating strict rules regarding female travellers.

Arunima, a native of Ottapalam in Kerala’s Palakkad district, entered Afghanistan to document her journey across the country. Her distress post included a translated communication stating that she had been arrested by the "Mujahideen" because she lacked an official travel permit. Under Taliban regulation, movement between provinces requires official documentation, which local authorities often deny to women travelling without a male guardian (mahram) or an approved male guide.

Reliving her experience in a video uploaded after her release, Arunima described the encounter in Bamyan as terrifying. She explained that after arriving in the city by hitchhiking on a truck, local men and officials quickly surrounded her, pointing out that women are rarely seen alone in public at night. When she presented her passport and visa, authorities told her she had violated domestic laws and threatened to formalise her arrest.

"I was completely terrified. I spent several hours in such intense tension that I felt I could have died," Arunima stated in her video, adding that Taliban members refused to give her inter-provincial permits specifically due to her gender. She noted that male solo travellers often traverse the country without facing similar barriers.

Arunima was released approximately three hours after her initial SOS message following discussions with local authorities. She reached a settlement involving a fine for remaining in the region without proper permits and agreed to exit the country promptly. Diplomatic sources later clarified that local officials assisted her in finding accommodation once the situation was de-escalated.

Following the incident, local officials and the Indian Embassy accompanied Arunima as she travelled safely from Bamyan toward Kabul. In her latest update, she expressed gratitude to the Indian Embassy for providing guidance and confirmed her plans to cross into neighbouring Uzbekistan to conclude her trip safely.