One night at Bangalore Airport
I have spent three years in Bangalore with cherishable moments of the very first years of my career as a software engineer. But on 24th December 2008,I spent my worst night in Bangalore. I was on my holiday visit to Singapore and at immigration check I was detained and was denied to board the flight. This incident was my worst encounter with regionalism and with the poor system of police and government my very own country.
Day: 24 December 2008, 10 PM Place: Bangalore International Airport
Day: 24 December 2008, 10 PM Place: Bangalore International Airport
I reached airport before 9 to catch my flight to Singapore, Singapore airline’s Fight SQ502 at 11:10PM. After checking in my luggage with my friend, I reached immigration counter. When I presented my passport to the Immigration officer, he looked at me strangely and asked “Are you Punjabi?”. I clarified that not all “Singh”s are sardar/punjabi. Then he asked me do you have a nick name “Pitta”. Now I was puzzled what’s happening. Then he took me to the inspector to discuss the case without telling me what the matter is. Then they started talking in Kannada without bothering to tell me about why I am not being told anything. With my little knowledge of Kannada, I could make out that there is a person name “Pardeep Singh” whose name is of course similar but not same to my name Pradeep Singh. This person is a Punjabi with nick name Pitta and has a FIR against him in 2006. In Nov 2006, Punjab police has sent a LOC ( Look out circular)
The immigration officer named Mr. Vasu didn’t allow me to go on the basis of an LOC which was against Mr. Pardeep Singh alias Pitta who is a resident of Punjab. This LOC was more than 2 year old and was raised in November 2006. As per CBI guidelines, an LOC must be as per the Proforma and must have at least three parameters of identity other than name and is invalid after a year.
They didn't listen to any logic and told me that they will let me only when they get a written confirmation from Punjab police that I am a different person. Even after a confirmation on telephone by a senior police officer (SP) that the real convict Pitta was arrested in Nov 2006.
And as per the “smart” and “intelligent” officers and Bangalore airport, I had a match of three parameters with a criminal out of which, two were sex and Nationality. So according to them, all Indian males have a 50% probability of being a criminal.
There was no sufficient information provided in that LOC just the name and father name. Despite the spelling of my name was different and there was no other information like passport number, age or physical parameters were available, they detained me. And at worse, they literally trapped me. My fault was that I thought being innocent I will be freed soon and they are just doing formality as part of their duty. I didn’t realise the gravity of situation and took it lightly which cost me a whole night there at airport and ruined the very first day of Singapore visit!!!
They knew that I am not the same person. And i can’t believe and they didn’t know that they shouldn’t stop me on the basis of an LOC more than a year old, but they were too pro-kannada and didn’t like not just north Indians but all non kannadiga people.
I was stupidly thinking that mater will be resolved. But I was kept in dark. They didn’t tell me what was happening. And when I tried to ask any question or give any justification, they threatened me to put in jail with no body available to listen to me. I didn’t realize they have determined to trap me probably for two reasons, one being I was a north Indian and dint know kannada. And they were stubborn on their argument that I was a Punjabi and all people with surname “singh” are Punjabi. And they argued that anyways UP and Punjab are very close having same borders. ( I wish they would have ever seen India ‘s map). At an international airport there were people who didn’t understand their country’s geography and demographic diversity.
And they didn’t like me going from Bangalore, when i could have gone from New Delhi. I told them that i worked in Bangalore for 3 years and have lots of friends. And also flights are cheaper from Banaglore. But they were not listening any of my argument.
Till I could have realised their intention, I had missed my flight and I was completely shocked that they have actually detained me and I am being treated as a suspect criminal. They didn’t listen to any of my point. I had many proofs to tell that I was a different person but they didn’t bother. They were determined to harass me. I was in identity crisis. Every time I tried to say anything, they threatened me that they will put me in jail. They were very rude and uncooperative. Very soon I realised that they were “kattar” kannadiga as the officer was very often showing people that he sign in kannada language. They were talking in Kananda and didn’t tell me anything about what is happening. Anyone who was not talking in kannada was being treated as an alien and was being questioned rigorously and illogically. For example they just coudn't bear a girl from bangalore not knowing Kannada and tried their best to stop her and to ruin her honemoon plan.
Now I had no choice. When I tried to ask any question or give any justification, they threatened me to put in jail. I could not sleep whole night. I was very disturbed with this incident. My friend Akash who was also going to Singapore with me, also voluntarily disembarked from flight and chose to stay with me. There was a detention room where I and my friend could have stayed and taken some rest, but until 3 AM in morning (after 5 hours), they didn't let us move from the immigration counter.
Next day morning, the duty officer changed. He also told me that LOC was more than year old and was not renewed so I should have been allowed to go. In morning they got another confirmation call from Punjab Police that the real convict is in Punjab and is attending court for the case against him. Then they verified my passport again. After 11 AM, 25th Dec 2008, I was told that I can go. But I had to wait for the FAX from Punjab police as I knew that at every immigration check point in India, I was going to face this problem.
Punjab police is also responsible for this as they raised an LOC with insufficient information. Had there been complete information, I would have been saved from being humiliated and harassed. Punjab police had complete detail in FIR but still they dint put complete detail in LOC violating LOC proforma.
In my own country I was feeling like an alien. I was on a 10 days holiday plan and all my plan get ruined because of this. I have never faced such torture in my life. These officers behaved as brainless with complete disregard to civil rights.
I want to tell that during my visit to Singapore and Malaysia, I met other country's immigration officers. They were very polite, helpful and respected citizen. But my worst experience was in my own country. Every next moment those officers kept telling me that they are doing their duty, it's MY STATE's police which is delaying the process (by saying this they meant MY North Indian state Punjab) . Every time they were making me feel that India is not one. UP, Punjab and Karnataka etc are not the integral part of same country. I was complete shaken by such an opinion.
I was very much hurt by this incident. I later found that as per CBI guidelines, LOC must have at least 3 parameters other than name. An LOC is valid for a period of one year. However, in case the originating agency wants to extend the validity beyond one year it can ask for the extension before the expiry of the one year period. If no request is made for the extension of the LOC within the stipulated period of one year, the Immigration Officer concerned is authorized to suspend the LOC.
But still as it would have been clear, I was not stopped because of law but by corrupt regionalist narrow minded idiots.
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My suggestion to all international travelers to be aware about LOC and other processes at immigration checks. They are all idiots sitting there you assume. As soon as they try to trap you on some illogical basis, immediately contact your family or friend to get some help. Keep a close eye on your passport or someone may tamper it and may get you in trouble. Always keep 1 hour extra for immigration check if you are visiting that airport/country first time. Keep some proofs other than PAN and passport which have your address. If you are a working professional, its good to keep your visiting card and office id card with you.
I thank Singapore airlines for providing me a seat in next day's flight. Luckily on xmas day, flight was having lot of vacant seats so i could go finaly without having to buy ticket. I thanks my friend Akash who also waited with me there and provided moral support.
Now i want to teach a lesson to those unscrupulous people. I dont know what to do. I have already put my grievance on India's official grievance website http://pgportal.gov.in/ . Hope there would be some action.
I thank Singapore airlines for providing me a seat in next day's flight. Luckily on xmas day, flight was having lot of vacant seats so i could go finaly without having to buy ticket. I thanks my friend Akash who also waited with me there and provided moral support.
Now i want to teach a lesson to those unscrupulous people. I dont know what to do. I have already put my grievance on India's official grievance website http://pgportal.gov.in/ . Hope there would be some action.
In my RTI campaign, i gave some trouble to Bangalore Police and BIAL Airport Police. Thanks to Ministry of Home for taking care of my requests and to direct Immigration Bureau and IB for proper action. This issue was handled at the level of principal secretary in MOH. Punjab police also sent RTI response with all details. I happen to contact Punjab Police, CBI, Ministry of Home, Bangalore Commissioner, Airport Police and Information bureau and also Public Grievance department. Its great to find that RTI has opened door for citizen to directly contact the government officials.
in my further trips i discovered that now there is no such LOC. However, since my passport is old and is handwritten, it takes a minute more than others. I suggest old passport holders to get new digital mark passport.
