An Indian woman has accused Georgian border officials of subjecting a group of 56 travellers to ‘most inhuman behaviour’ while attempting to enter the country from Armenia.

In an Instagram post, Dhruvee Patel alleged that despite having valid e-visas and supporting documents, the group was humiliated, detained for hours and denied basic necessities at the Sadakhlo border crossing.

What really happened?

Patel said the group was “made to wait 5+ hrs in the freezing cold – no food, no toilet.” She further alleged that officials “confiscated passports for 2+ hrs with no communication” and forced them to sit outside “like cattle.”

The woman also claimed the travellers were filmed “like criminals” but were not allowed to record their own experience. According to her, the authorities did not even examine their paperwork, instead declaring the visas “wrong.”

Calling the treatment “shameful & unacceptable,” Patel tagged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, urging the Indian government to “take a strong stand.”

Social media divided

The post drew hundreds of reactions online. While many expressed solidarity, others pointed out that the problem has persisted for years.

“Sorry to hear that. Also this isn't the first post I've seen of Georgia. It's been bad and happening for a long time now,” one user wrote. Another questioned why Indians continued to travel there despite repeated complaints: “When this behaviour has been consistent from Georgia then why do Indians keep going there.”

Some users accused Georgian authorities of discrimination, highlighting “consistent reports of racial profiling.” A few commenters went further, calling for a boycott of Georgia. One remarked, “Lots of scams & racism in Georgia not worth it.”

Several travellers shared their own ordeals. A tourist who visited in 2019 recalled being “looked at … like a criminal” upon entry. While the person eventually enjoyed the trip, they noted that “from (the) last many years, they are creating problems for Indians.”

Another user echoed similar concerns, saying they had also heard of problems at Georgian checkpoints even before arriving.

Concerns over targeting

An immigration lawyer based in Tbilisi told The Wire that cases of deportation involving Indian and Pakistani nationals have risen sharply in recent years. The lawyer said even those carrying valid visas have faced arbitrary detentions, rejections and deportations without proper explanation or due process.

At the time of reporting, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had not issued any statement on the incident.