WASHINGTON, Dec 9 : Indian Ambassador to the US Meera Shankar was pulled from an airport security line and patted down by an American security agent in Mississippi despite being told of her diplomatic status.
The incident took place on December 4 at the Jackson-Evers International Airport where sari-clad Shankar was about to board a flight to Baltimore after attending the Mississippi State University's programme, the Clarion-Ledger reported.
Shankar presented her diplomatic papers to officers and was escorted by a Mississippi Development Authority representative and an airport security officer, but witnesses said she was subjected to the hands-on search.
She was taken to a VIP waiting room despite being told she was an ambassador. She was later pulled from a security line and patted down by a female Transportation Security Administration
Security agents told Shankar she was singled out because she was wearing a sari, which the paper described as "a traditional Indian robe that is draped across the body."
The Jackson Airport does not yet have full-body screeners, which meant that the ambassador became subject to the thorough pat-down, the paper said.
Indian External Affairs Minister SM Krishna on Thursday (December 9) said that such behaviour from the US is not acceptable and asked for a report on the matter.
He said: "I am rather surprised by the way the Indian Ambassador to the US has been treated. This has happened for a second time in three months. This is unacceptable to India and we are going to take it up with the government of the United States."
Meanwhile, Karan Singh, former envoy to the US termed the incident unfortunate and said that the US State Department owes Meera Shankar an apology for the breach of diplomatic immunity.
The incident took place on December 4 at the Jackson-Evers International Airport where sari-clad Shankar was about to board a flight to Baltimore after attending the Mississippi State University's programme, an Indian Embassy official said.
In the past, many prominent Indians, including ministers, have faced some uncomfortable moments at US airports. In September, visiting Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel was quizzed by US immigration authorities at the O'Hare airport in Chicago after his name and date of birth matched with that of another Praful Patel, who is on America's watch-list.
In August 2009, Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan was detained and questioned at Newark Liberty International Airport. Khan was headed to Chicago for a parade to celebrate India's Independence Day, when he was pulled aside by airport authorities for interrogation.
Former Defence Minister George Fernandes had claimed that he was strip-searched twice at Dulles Airport in the US Capital area, when he was on an official visit to Washington in early 2002 and another time while en route to Brazil in mid 2003.
agent.
The incident took place on December 4 at the Jackson-Evers International Airport where sari-clad Shankar was about to board a flight to Baltimore after attending the Mississippi State University's programme, the Clarion-Ledger reported.
Shankar presented her diplomatic papers to officers and was escorted by a Mississippi Development Authority representative and an airport security officer, but witnesses said she was subjected to the hands-on search.
She was taken to a VIP waiting room despite being told she was an ambassador. She was later pulled from a security line and patted down by a female Transportation Security Administration
Security agents told Shankar she was singled out because she was wearing a sari, which the paper described as "a traditional Indian robe that is draped across the body."
The Jackson Airport does not yet have full-body screeners, which meant that the ambassador became subject to the thorough pat-down, the paper said.
Indian External Affairs Minister SM Krishna on Thursday (December 9) said that such behaviour from the US is not acceptable and asked for a report on the matter.
He said: "I am rather surprised by the way the Indian Ambassador to the US has been treated. This has happened for a second time in three months. This is unacceptable to India and we are going to take it up with the government of the United States."
Meanwhile, Karan Singh, former envoy to the US termed the incident unfortunate and said that the US State Department owes Meera Shankar an apology for the breach of diplomatic immunity.
The incident took place on December 4 at the Jackson-Evers International Airport where sari-clad Shankar was about to board a flight to Baltimore after attending the Mississippi State University's programme, an Indian Embassy official said.
In the past, many prominent Indians, including ministers, have faced some uncomfortable moments at US airports. In September, visiting Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel was quizzed by US immigration authorities at the O'Hare airport in Chicago after his name and date of birth matched with that of another Praful Patel, who is on America's watch-list.
In August 2009, Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan was detained and questioned at Newark Liberty International Airport. Khan was headed to Chicago for a parade to celebrate India's Independence Day, when he was pulled aside by airport authorities for interrogation.
Former Defence Minister George Fernandes had claimed that he was strip-searched twice at Dulles Airport in the US Capital area, when he was on an official visit to Washington in early 2002 and another time while en route to Brazil in mid 2003.
agent.
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