- Sachin Awasthi and his wife were detained for 38 hours in South Korea and China without explanation
- They were held in jail-like conditions with no sunlight, limited food, and restricted communication
- Awasthi claimed racial discrimination by South Korean officials and harassment by airlines during detention
Travelling is nothing short of a dream come true, especially if you are flying to your dream destination. But no one knows when a dream can turn into a nightmare. Influencer Sachin Awasthi was travelling to South Korea with his wife, Deepshikha Mishra, when they were detained for 38 hours without any explanation.
Taking to Instagram, Sachin Awasthi shared his traumatic experience of being held at Jeju Island and treated like criminals without any evidence. He claimed that the authorities even blackmailed him, and he paid 10 times the price to fly back and return safely to his homeland.
Influencer Sachin Awasthi Detained In South Korea And China
"Detained for 38 hours in South Korea (Jeju Island) & China," wrote Sachin Awasthi as he described his ordeal.
"We landed in Jeju Island, South Korea, excited and ready for our trip. Within a few hours, everything changed," he further added.
The couple was excited to begin their trip, but they were denied entry and taken to a holding area. "No proper explanation, just told to wait," he shared.
They waited for hours, without any clarity on why they were detained in the first place.
Influencer Sachin Awasthi And His Wife Were Treated Like Criminals In South Korea
"They kept us in their detention centre (it was similar to a jail with no sunlight & no access to the outside) and also gave us jail food," Sachin Awasthi mentioned in his post.
He added that no one from the authorities told the couple what was going to happen. "They blackmailed us to book a really expensive return ticket," he wrote in the caption.
During the transit through China, the harassment continued. The couple had to wait longer and remain under supervision. "Communication was restricted-no use of phone and no food, and limited water. Sleeping conditions were the worst. Even the use of restrooms was monitored with a police official who had a bodycam and went to the washroom with us," he shared.
By the time the authorities told them they would be sent back, they were "mentally drained". "The return ticket cost almost 10× the normal price. At that moment, we didn't have the energy to argue. We just wanted to get out safely," he added.
The influencer said that he did not share his experience for sympathy from his followers or for drama. He noted that immigration decisions rest with the authorities. "But they did not have any right to treat us like CRIMINALS," Sachin Awasthi wrote.
He noted that travel looks glamorous online, but sometimes things change in a few hours, and it tests you emotionally in ways you never expect.
Sachin Awasthi Revealed Why He Was Detained In South Korea And China
He has also shared a video on his YouTube channel, where he mentioned that he was asked to carry a huge amount of cash before boarding the flight to Jeju Island. Later, when he and his wife were detained, he came to know that their entry on the island was rejected because the authorities said they were "unclear of the travel intentions" of the couple.
Despite requesting the authorities to cross-check his travel history and background, they concluded the interview and asked the couple to return to India. He claimed that after the interview, they were given two forms in which it was written that they both were provided with appropriate accommodation and food. Sachin Awashthi claimed that they were harassed into signing the forms.
Sachin Awasthi Claims That South Korean Authorities Were Racist
In his video, he shared that they were accommodated in two halls - one for men and the other for women. They requested to speak to immigration authorities, but they were locked inside the room with a pack of sweet juice and a bun, which the influencer said were not good in taste.
They even tried to reach the Indian embassy in South Korea, but no one picked up their call. He claimed that the other detainees also had a similar story. Some were denied entry because they were travelling with friends and not their wives, and some were asked to return because they were not travelling with their kids. Not just that, detainees told Sachin Awasthi that the airlines were also harassing them to book return tickets at an exorbitant price, and when they said that they could not afford it, they were abused over calls and messages.
Sachin Awasthi claimed that Jeju Island authorities were racist towards him and his wife. He said that Juneyao Air and China Eastern Airlines scammed the couple.
Also Read | Viral: Gurugram CEO Shares South Delhi Mom's Demand For A 'No Career' Wife For Her Son Earning Rs 73 Lakh
Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
