Diplomatic fury unleashed: Qatar Airways faces scathing criticism over Shambhavi Adhikari’s deportation nightmare

KATHMANDU: A diplomatic firestorm has erupted over the egregious mishandling of Nepali citizen Shambhavi Adhikari’s deportation from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), with Qatar Airways bearing the full brunt of responsibility and global condemnation.

The late October 2025 incident, where the public health professional was unjustly denied boarding and forcibly returned to Kathmandu, has exposed the airline’s reckless negligence, sparking outrage and demands for accountability from Nepal and beyond.Adhikari, traveling from Kathmandu to Berlin for the World Health Summit, faced a humiliating ordeal around October 30, 2025, during her Qatar Airways transit at IGIA.

She initially alleged on Facebook that Indian officials interrogated and deported her, igniting accusations of bias against Nepalis. However, India’s Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued a blistering rebuttal on November 1, 2025, at 6:09 PM via PIB Delhi, unequivocally stating that Indian immigration had “no role to play in this entire episode.” The MHA’s official release clarified: “The said passenger arrived from Kathmandu by Air India and was transiting through Delhi. She was stopped while boarding the connecting flight of Qatar Airways.

It was the airlines which decided not to let her undertake her onward travel to Germany considering her visa validity and flew her back to Kathmandu.” The statement further emphasized that international transit passengers like Adhikari do not require Indian immigration clearance, placing the onus squarely on Qatar Airways for this egregious misstep.The MHA’s scathing assessment dismissed portrayals of bias as baseless, asserting, “This is usually undertaken in accordance with the destination country rules/requirements.”

It added that Adhikari rescheduled her travel and later reached Berlin via another route from Kathmandu, underscoring the airline’s failure to resolve the issue. India reaffirmed its “strong relationship with Nepal” and categorically denied any bias or discrimination, leaving Qatar Airways isolated as the sole culprit in this diplomatic debacle.Critics have unleashed a torrent of criticism against Qatar Airways, accusing the airline of gross incompetence and callous mistreatment. Aviation expert Rajesh Sharma labeled the incident a “textbook case of airline negligence,” pointing to the airline’s opaque Stopover Transit Policy (STPC).

Despite provisions for exceptional cases where passengers can pay for extended layovers, Adhikari was offered no such recourse. “Qatar Airways’ ground staff either lacked training or deliberately ignored protocol, leaving a valid transit passenger stranded,” Sharma said. The airline’s deafening silence has only amplified demands for an apology, compensation, and a thorough investigation.The Nepal Embassy in India, responding to mounting public outrage, announced on November 2, 2025, consultations with Qatar Airways, Lufthansa, and other carriers to prevent future travesties.

on November 4, 2025. This follows a pattern of Nepali citizens, including female travelers, facing similar humiliations at Delhi, with Qatar Airways’ actions now under a harsh spotlight. Former Nepali diplomat Dinesh Bhattarai condemned the airline’s “arbitrary decision-making,” urging international regulators to intervene. “This is not just a logistical error; it’s a deliberate affront to Nepali dignity,” he said.Qatar Airways’ refusal to clarify why Adhikari’s documentation was deemed insufficient—despite her eventual successful travel—has fueled suspicions of systemic flaws or racial profiling.

The airline’s inaction risks irreparable damage to its reputation in South Asia, where trust in its services is now hanging by a thread. As of 02:17 PM +0545 on November 4, 2025, no statement has emerged from Qatar Airways, leaving Nepal and India to clean up the mess.This scandal is a wake-up call for global carriers operating in sensitive transit hubs. For Adhikari, the emotional scars linger, while for Nepal, it’s a rallying cry to protect its citizens from corporate overreach. Qatar Airways must answer for its shameful mistreatment—or face the consequences of a diplomatic and public relations catastrophe.

Fiscal Nepal attempted to obtain a response from the Qatar Airways office in Kathmandu, but the officials declined to comment on the matter.