Indian entrepreneur gets robbed of his passport and cash in Spain; shares warning on what not to do when traveling

Time of India

12 hours ago

Travel mishaps can happen to anyone, no matter how experienced. That's exactly what happened to a young Indian entrepreneur in Barcelona. What began as a routine work trip turned into chaos, when a few careless moments set off a frenzy to make his journey home.
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Work trip that turned into a travel nightmare
Indian entrepreneur Ayush Panchmiya, co-founder of the Web3 marketing agency Blockwee, described his experience on X as the 'worst 48 hours of [his] travel life' after his bag containing his passport, US visa, credit cards, and cash was stolen at a Starbucks in Barcelona.
Having just arrived in Barcelona after the ETHCC conference in Cannes, Panchmiya and his team were working at a café when he stepped outside for a quick call, leaving his bag tucked under the table, which he accepted doing 'a hundred times' before.
Moments later, the bag was gone. 'Those few seconds changed everything,' he wrote on X, as the bag held all his essential travel documents.
When he asked the cafe to show CCTV footage, he was told that he'd need police intervention first. At the station, he learned it could take up to 20 days to review the footage, and he did not have the time for it as his flight back was scheduled in just two days.
With the Indian embassy closed over the weekend, Panchmiya waited until Monday, then rushed in as soon as it opened.
The embassy issued an emergency certificate, or a temporary passport, in just four to five hours, allowing him to board a flight home that very evening.
Can happen to anyone
Panchmiya made it clear that his purpose wasn't complaint but caution. He advised the fellow travellers, 'This can happen to anyone. Even if you're cautious. Even if you're experienced.' He suggested not to panic, file a police report immediately, and visit your embassy in person to request an emergency certificate.
Social media reactions
Users on social media responded with empathy. One user wrote, 'In general, avoid travelling day to day with your passport on you. It's infinitely safer in your hotel lock box.' Another user warned saying, 'Just because it's 'something you'd done a hundred times' doesn't mean it's smart.' Many praised his calm handling despite the circumstances.
Panchmiya later admitted, 'Was it a mistake to leave the bag? Yes,' he said, noting that assuming safety indoors led to a painful lesson. Despite the ordeal, he concluded his post on a hopeful note, 'Now I am back home. Safe. Grateful. Grounded. This post is just my way of paying it forward'