Indian Vlogger Says She Faced Arrest Threat in Afghanistan for Solo Travel

An Indian travel vlogger says she was threatened with arrest in Bamyan, Afghanistan, for violating a law that prohibits women from traveling alone without a male companion or guide. The vlogger, who runs the Facebook page Backpacker Arunima, recounted the incident in social media posts on September 15, 2026. She stated that she arrived in Bamyan around 7 p.m. after hitchhiking on a truck. Upon arrival, local residents and authorities approached her, noting that women are not permitted to travel alone at night under local rules. After checking her passport and visa, officials requested her travel permit. She explained that she had previously attempted to obtain a permit in Jalalabad, but authorities refused to issue one because she was traveling without a male companion or an official guide. The vlogger said two men questioned her through a translation app and inspected her documents while she was charging her phone in a local hall. Upon realizing she had entered the country on August 27 and had been traveling solo, they informed her she was in violation of the law and faced immediate arrest. "According to the law of this country, a woman cannot travel alone," she said.