Prominent Indians detained at US airports

Shah Rukh Khan: Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan, who arrived in the US to visit the Yale University, was detained for over two hours at a New York airport. He was the only one of his travelling group, which included Nita Ambani, to be stopped.

This is not the first time Mr Khan has been stopped at an American airport. In 2009 also, he was stopped at the Newark airport and was released after a two hour grilling. (Image Courtesy: Michael Marsland/Yale University)

Aamir Khan: Mr Perfectionist Aamir Khan was strip searched and interrogated at the Chicago airport when he visited the US in 2002.

John Abraham: In 2009, actor John Abraham was detained at New York airport by the FBI for having Afghanistan as one of the countries visited on his passport. He was released when he explained that he was an actor.

"Neil Nitin Mukesh: In 2009, when Neil visited the US to shoot for his film New York, his fair complexion landed him in trouble as the immigration officers didn't believe the fact that Neil was Indian.

Irrfan Khan: Irrfan Khan has been detained twice at US airports. First in 2008 when he was there to receive an award for his role in The Namesake, and then again in 2009 when he went to receive an award for Slumdog Millionaire.

Kabir Khan: In 2008, director Kabir Khan was detained at least three times when he was shooting in the US for his film New York.

Mammootty: In May, 2009 Southern superstar Mammootty was detained at the JFK Airport, New York.

This was the first time in 22 visits to the US that the actor, who's full name on his passport is Mohammad Kutty Ismail, was stopped at immigration.

A P J Abdul Kalam: Not even heads are above the US radar. On 29 September, 2011, former Indian President A P J Abdul Kalam was frisked at New York's JFK airport.

In 2009, he had been frisked by staff of the Continental Airlines at the New Delhi airport as well.

Praful Patel: In September 2010, the then Union Minister for Civil Aviation was detained at the US airport because someone with the same name and date of birth as Mr Patel was on the US immigration's watch list.

Hardeep Puri: India's UN envoy Hardeep Puri was detained in 2010, for more than 30 minutes at the Houston airport after he refused to remove his turban for security checks.

Meera Shankar: In 2011, former Indian ambassador to the US, Meera Shankar was detained and body-searched by security officials at the Jackson-Evers International Airport, in Mississippi.