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A Kerala-based travel vlogger has described a tense confrontation with authorities in Afghanistan’s Bamyan province after she was warned that travelling alone as a woman could lead to her arrest. The vlogger, known online through her Facebook page Backpacker Arunima, had initially posted an urgent message saying she was in trouble in Afghanistan and seeking help in reaching the Indian embassy. Her account later clarified that she had not actually been detained, despite the wording of the initial alert, but had faced the possibility of arrest over Afghanistan’s restrictions on women travelling without a male companion or an authorised guide.

Initial Post Triggers Concern

Arunima’s first social media post from Bamyan sparked concern among her followers as she sought immediate assistance. A message displayed in her post read, as per reports, "You were arrested by the Mujahideen just now because you do not have an official letter."

At that stage, details about what had happened remained unclear. There was also no immediate confirmation from Indian officials in Kabul or New Delhi regarding her situation.

Arunima subsequently provided a more detailed account of the incident, explaining that the situation involved a warning of arrest rather than an actual detention.

She said officials in Bamyan confronted her about travelling without a male companion and questioned her over her presence in the province.

Solo Travel Becomes Flashpoint

According to Arunima, authorities told her that travelling alone as a woman violated local regulations. "According to the law of this country, a woman cannot travel alone," she recalled being told during the confrontation.

She said officials treated her solo travel as an offence and warned that she could be arrested.

Another difficulty, she said, involved permits required to enter individual provinces. Arunima claimed she had struggled to obtain such permits because she was travelling without a male companion.

She said the same issue had arisen earlier in Jalalabad, where her request for a permit was also refused.

The restrictions created a difficult situation for the vlogger, who was attempting to travel across Afghanistan independently. While she had managed to reach Bamyan, the lack of documentation became a major concern when authorities questioned her.

Intervention Helps Defuse Situation

As the confrontation intensified, Arunima said she became emotionally distressed and contacted a man who had previously helped her reach Bamyan.

According to her account, the man intervened and spoke to the authorities on her behalf. Officials initially sought several conditions before allowing her to continue her journey.

She said she was asked to obtain the necessary permit, arrange a guide and pay 10,000 in local currency. She was also told to pay an additional fine for remaining in the country without the required authorisation.

Arunima said negotiations continued after she explained that she planned to leave Afghanistan and travel towards Uzbekistan.

Eventually, authorities agreed to allow her to continue towards her next destination without obtaining the permit. The decision meant she could avoid being detained and proceed with her journey.

Vlogger Clarifies Detention Claim

Arunima later sought to distinguish between being detained and being threatened with arrest.

She said she was never taken to a police station or prison during the incident. Instead, the fear that she could be arrested was what prompted her to seek urgent help through social media.

Explaining why she had posted an Instagram story while the situation was unfolding, she said the message was driven by panic and a desire to alert anyone who might be able to intervene.

Reflecting on the experience, Arunima said, "Just because I am a woman, I had to go through all of this."

She also compared her experience with that of male travellers who had previously covered the same route without facing similar obstacles. According to her, women travellers she knew had also encountered difficulties and had managed to travel through the country only by accompanying a guide or a male companion.

Journey Towards Uzbekistan

Despite the experience in Bamyan, Arunima said she planned to continue her journey towards the Uzbekistan border.

She said the border was around 500 kilometres away and that she expected to encounter more checkpoints along the route. The experience, however, had left her visibly shaken.

Following her initial post, she received a large number of calls and messages from concerned followers. Arunima said she could not immediately respond to everyone because she was not feeling well.