A group of 56 Indian travelers reported experiencing “inhuman behavior” from Georgian authorities at the Sadakhlo border, the primary land crossing between Armenia and Georgia. This allegation was made by Dhruvee Patel in a viral social media post on Tuesday.
According to Patel’s Instagram account, the group faced humiliation and prolonged detention despite possessing valid e-visas and necessary documents. She described their ordeal of waiting for over five hours in freezing temperatures, during which they were provided with no food or access to a toilet. Patel further claimed that Georgian officials confiscated their passports for more than two hours without any communication and ordered the travelers to sit on the pavement “like cattle.”
Patel alleged that the authorities recorded videos of them “like criminals,” while prohibiting them from documenting the incident themselves. She claimed that their travel documents were never examined, as officials dismissed the visas as “wrong.” Calling the treatment “shameful and unacceptable,” her post tagged Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, urging India to take a firm stand on the issue.
The post prompted mixed reactions online, with many readers sharing similar experiences. One user recounted having acquaintances who faced comparable treatment, asserting that their civility and politeness did not mitigate the officials’ rudeness. Another commenter speculated on the behavior of the travelers, asking whether their conduct at the airport influenced how they were treated.
A different traveler who visited Georgia in 2019 noted having heard similar stories but ultimately enjoyed a pleasant visit, acknowledging that issues with Indian travelers have persisted for several years.
