A tourist shares her experience of being arrested in India for carrying a common item in her bag.

A fellow traveler, Tina Lewis, recently shared a cautionary tale about a common device that caused her some legal trouble during her travels. Tina, originally from Canada but now living in Colorado, was on a months-long trip in India when she encountered this issue. She had already passed through several Indian airports without any problems before catching the attention of security in Goa.

As a solo traveler, Tina always carries a mini GPS device, specifically a Garmin inReach, to stay connected with others and signal for help when she's exploring off-the-grid areas with no cell phone reception. However, this device ended up causing her some major trouble. The Indian airport security detained her and took her to the local police station because possessing a wireless telegraphy device without the proper license is prohibited by the Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act of 1933.

The Garmin inReach Mini, described as a "go-to connection for maintaining off-the-grid contact" on the company's website, falls under this ban due to its satellite technology. The Garmin website even warns users that certain jurisdictions may restrict or prohibit the use of satellite communication devices and it is their responsibility to follow the relevant laws. After spending hours at the police station, Tina was bailed out by a friend's lawyer around midnight. However, her case was not resolved until after days of court proceedings and she had to pay thousands of dollars in court fines and lawyer fees. She also had to surrender her Garmin device and wait six days for her passport to be returned.

Tina's experience is not an isolated incident. Other tourists have also been arrested for carrying similar devices in India, such as a Czech traveler with a Garmin and an American with a satellite phone. Frustrated by her ordeal, Tina took to Instagram to warn others about this outdated law and called for it to be challenged in higher courts. She also shared that she did not want this experience to ruin her trip and continued exploring India after she received her passport back. She took some time to rest and reset on the beach and although her views on the country may have changed, she was determined to leave with some good stories and a better overall experience.

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