Author Neha Sinha faced a troubling situation in Bihar when Airtel allegedly slapped her with a massive international roaming bill of over Rs 1 lakh despite her being in India.
Delhi-based author Neha Sinha found herself in a distressing situation during her visit to Bihar when she was reportedly hit with an exorbitant phone bill and had her services abruptly terminated by Airtel, leaving her stranded at the Valmiki Nagar border area.
Expressing her dismay on social media, Sinha shared her ordeal, alleging that Airtel charged her over Rs 1 lakh for international roaming despite her staying within India. "A terrible scam! I'm in Valmiki Nagar, Bihar. Airtel India sends me a roaming bill of Rs 1L+. I’m an Indian citizen on Indian soil. With no outstanding bill, Airtel cuts my services. Leaving me stranded!" she tweeted.
Seeking intervention from the Department of Telecommunications and Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Sinha highlighted the unjust situation she faced. Her subsequent tweets pointed out the potential risks posed to women's safety by such sudden service cutoffs without valid reasons or warnings.
Reportedly, when Sinha attempted to resolve the issue with Airtel, the response she received was disheartening. "When I borrowed a phone to call Airtel they said they could do nothing, because this is what the 'system' has logged. Is the system a God? What is this system that leaves real people stranded?" she questioned.
Airtel allegedly demanded Rs 1,792 for the restoration of her SIM card, prompting Sinha to question the initial cutoff and criticize the customer service's "passive-aggressive" demeanor.
Comments on the post suggested that such issues are prevalent in border areas and advised Sinha to consider filing a complaint in the consumer court.
Expressing her intent to take further action against Airtel for endangering her safety in a remote location, Sinha emphasized that her concern wasn't solely about the hefty bill but the abrupt termination of services in a potentially perilous situation.
Subsequently, Airtel issued an apology to Sinha, acknowledging the inconvenience caused. "Accept our apologies for the hassle, Neha. Kindly share your respective Airtel number via DM so that we can quickly look into this," the telecom company's customer care handle responded on Twitter.
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 "Woman from Delhi travels to Bihar, receives Rs 1 lakh international roaming bill from Airtel")
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