'I Had to Go Through All This Because I Am A Woman': Kerala Vlogger On Afghanistan Scare

A Keralite woman travel vlogger, who had earlier claimed that she was arrested by the "Mujahideen" in Afghanistan, has now said that local authorities threatened to arrest her in Bamyan, citing the country's law that women cannot travel without a male companion or guide.

"According to the law of this country, a woman cannot travel alone," the vlogger, who runs the Facebook page Backpacker Arunima, said in a fresh social media post. She added that she had earlier been denied a permit in Jalalabad because she was travelling alone.

The authorities in Bamyan told her that she had violated the law and would be arrested, the vlogger claimed.

Recounting the incident, she said she reached Bamyan around 7 pm and was questioned about her passport, visa and permit.

She became extremely frightened after being told that she had violated the law. So she contacted a man who had earlier helped her reach Bamyan, and he spoke to the authorities on her behalf, the vlogger said.

According to her account, the authorities insisted that she obtain a permit and travel with a guide. She said she was eventually allowed to proceed towards the next country after discussions.

"I had to go through all this only because I am a woman," the vlogger said, adding that she planned to travel around 500 kilometres towards the Uzbekistan border and expected to encounter several checkpoints on the way.

The woman said she was extremely frightened and feared that something might happen to her, and hence posted an Instagram story hoping that someone would come to her rescue.

In an earlier post, she had sought help to contact the Indian embassy, saying, "I am in trouble in Afghanistan. I am in Bamyan."

In the post, she had also shared what she described as a translation of an official communication from local authorities, according to which she had been arrested by the "Mujahideen".

PTI could not independently verify her claims.