A Canadian trail runner enjoying a months-long trip to India found herself in trouble with airport authorities in Goa after they detected an illegal item in her bag – a mini GPS device, forbidden under Indian law by legislation that’s nearly a century old.
Tina Lewis, who now lives in Colorado, had already been through multiple other Indian airports without problem when she caught the attention of security in Goa.
‘I brought my Garmin inReach device as I do for many of my international trips for camping, possible mountain adventures, and to use when there is no cell reception for safety as a solo female traveler,’ Lewis wrote on Instagram this week.
‘To check in with family/friends. I was detained at airport security (CISF) in Goa and escorted to the Goan police outpost to be investigated. I was not aware a GPS device was illegal. It is a 1933 (!!!) law.
According to the Indian wireless Telegraphy Act of 1933, possession of wireless telegraphy equipment without a proper license is prohibited.’
The ban encompasses satellite technology, included in the Garmin inReach Mini device, described on the company’s site as a ‘go-to connection for maintaining off-the-grid contact.
‘It’s our palm-sized satellite communicator for adventures where size and weight matter. Need assistance? Send interactive SOS alerts anytime, globally,’ it continues.
‘No matter where you are, two-way messaging lets you connect to the ones who matter … Get connectivity and peace of mind.’
Runner Tina Lewis was forced to spend thousands of dollars fighting her case in an Indian court after being arrested for her satellite GPS
Lewis brought her Garmin inReach Mini with her to ensure safety while running
The description is followed by a prominent message: ‘NOTICE: Some jurisdictions regulate or prohibit the use of satellite communications devices.
It is the responsibility of the user to know and follow all applicable laws in the jurisdictions where the device is intended to be used.’
Lewis wrote that, after ‘hours of investigation, she was bailed out by a friend’s ‘lawyer connection at midnight.’
After ‘days of court,’ her case ‘was finally cleared.’
She was just the latest in a string of tourists arrested under similar circumstances.
A Czech traveler was also arrested in Goa with a Garmin device earlier this month, as was an American with an actual satellite phone in Dehradun, according to local reports.
‘This outdated law needs to be challenged at higher courts so other travelers do not experience what I and others have,’ Lewis posted on Instagram, adding: ‘WARNING: carrying a GPS device in India can get you arrested!’
Lewis said she was baffled by the decades-old law that didn’t come up in the majority of airports in India
It took six days for her passport to be returned, she told IRunFar, and she spent thousands in court fines and lawyer fees – in addition to surrendering her Garmin device.
She continued her journey throughout India, however, posting updates with photos from other regions with accompanying words like ‘Trying to get back into my rhythm…’
‘Since receiving my passport back, I did not want to make a rash decision and just fly home,’ Lewis wrote. ‘I was not letting this experience ruin my trip.
‘I took a few days to rest & reset on the beach.
‘I’m not sure I will feel the same way about the country as I did before but I’m willing to at least leave with a better experience, and some good stories.’
