'Confiscated passports, took videos like criminals': Influencer alleges 56 Indians faced inhuman behaviour in Georgia

Indian travellers have reported facing harsh and humiliating treatment at Georgian border checkpoints, including prolonged detentions and deportations despite valid documents. A woman posted on Instagram describing how a group of 56 Indians, entering Georgia via the Sadakhlo border from Armenia, experienced what she called "inhuman behaviour." The incident has sparked concern among the Indian community and calls for intervention from Indian officials.

According to her account, the group was forced to wait for hours in difficult conditions, had their passports retained, and received little communication from border officials. They were "forced to sit on the footpath like cattle," filmed by authorities, and prevented from recording the incident themselves.

The user further highlighted that the group had to endure "five hours in freezing cold" without access to basic facilities. The woman urged Indian authorities to respond, stating, "This is how Georgia treats Indians. Shameful & unacceptable!"

"Forced to sit on the footpath like cattle. Took videos of us like criminals, but stopped us from filming. Didn't even check our documents, simply claimed visas were 'wrong'," the traveller noted.

The incident has prompted wider discussion online, with users sharing their experiences of travelling in Georgia. One user wrote, "This is a second incident which I came across this week about the ill treatment of Indians by Georgian officials! I wonder what's going on."

Some travellers shared previous experiences. A traveller said: This is 100% true.. They made me wait for almost 2 hours without any valid reason and even damaged my driving license, which is one of the most crucial documents when crossing borders on a vehicle. Many Indian travelers had warned us about the behavior of immigration officers, and unfortunately, I experienced the same."

One commented, "Before entering Georgia, I had heard similar stories about immigration, but when I arrived there, they looked at me like a criminal enquiry. Fortunately, they granted me entry, and the rest was a dream visit. They are very welcoming and kind too, but yes, for many years they have been creating problems for Indians."

Another frequent traveller remarked, "I've travelled to over 60 countries, but Georgia was one of the few places that gave me a hard time at immigration, even though I had all required documents. I've heard of many Indians being deported, and despite living in Europe and holding visas for the US, Canada, Schengen, and the UK, it still didn't matter because of the Indian passport. I'd warn fellow travellers to be prepared for the worst."