An Indian entrepreneur, who was recently robbed on international soil, took to social media to share a glimpse of the “worst 48 hours” of his “travel life.” The widely-viewed post detailed how just a few seconds flipped his life upside down in Spain when he ended up losing his passport, US visa, cash and a lot more. Given how time-sensitive the issue, he was left with no option but to save himself from a dreaded nightmare when even the police failed to come to his aid in the hour of need.

Ayush Panchmiya, the co-founder of Blockwee, which is a “specialized marketing agency for Web 3.0 brands” in Mumbai, had just landed in the Spanish city of Barcelona after a week at the Ethereum Community Conference & Workshop (ETHCC) in Cannes. According to his SNS post, dated August 2, shared on X, the techie and his team were “editing content for a couple of clients” at a Starbucks outlet, when the unprecedented happened.

As per Panchmiya’s account of the incident, he merely stepped out for a “quick call,” leaving his black bag behind. He shared further that his controversial move had long been a habit of his on trips like the one he was on at the time. However, things went sideways this one time, making way for a life lesson that he ultimately passed on to others after learning it the hard way.

ALSO READ

Indian entrepreneur robbed in Barcelona: Loses passport, US visa and more

The Blockwee co-founder recounted that he had long come across travel warnings about being “extra careful in Spain, especially Barcelona.” However, as it is often the case, lived experience goes a long way in teaching a person than mere words of caution ever will.

Panchmiya experienced something similar as he came back to a shocking revelation. His bag containing his passport, US visa, credit cards and a hefty amount of cash was no longer where he had left it before exiting the room.

After being robbed, he hoped to find some help from the Starbucks staff at the scene. Despite strongly urging them to show him the CCTV that could offer him an insight into the series of events that may have led to the theft of his personal belongings, no help came from their side. The Indian man then darted off to file a report at the nearest police station.

Even with Panchmiya’s side of the story on record, the authorities’ response basically shrugged off immediate response, as they said, “It’ll take 15 to 20 days for us to even review the CCTV footage.” The whole thing transpired on a Saturday, when even the Indian Embassy was shut. Meanwhile, he was due to fly back on Monday.

How Indian entrepreneur saved himself from a Spain shocker

Panchmiya had no choice but to wait until Monday, and so he did.

“Walked in as soon as they opened. And I cannot thank them enough, they issued me an emergency certificate (a temporary passport) in just 4 to 5 hours,” he wrote in his X post. “That same evening, I was back on a flight to India.”

ALSO READ

Having lost his essential documentation, including a passport and a US visa, the Indian man revealed the obvious next step. He’s currently in the “middle of applying for a new passport, redoing my visas from scratch, and dealing with everything that comes after such a loss.”

Robbed in a different country? Follow these dos and don’ts

The moral of the story? If stuck in such a situation abroad, don’t panic, instead do the needful. Following the Indian entrepreneur’s plan step-by-step, you will first need to head over to the nearest police station and file a report. Thereafter, the embassy should be your next destination. For this step, however, you must be present in person instead of relying on emails or phone calls.

What’s next? “Ask for an emergency certificate,” said Panchmiya, assuring that officials would issue one in the mere span of a few hours if you’re scheduled to fly out soon.

Despite all that happened with him, the Indian man came out on the other side grateful. “I’ve never had my passport stolen before. But now I’ve seen firsthand how quickly things can flip,” he wrote. “And also, how supportive the Indian embassy and the Web3 community around me can be in tough times.”

Ayush Panchmiya has since landed back home safe and sound.