Gayathiri Bose, 33, who has a three-year-old child and a seven-month-old baby, told the BBC that she was exploring the possibility of taking formal legal action. Bose has already filed a complaint about the incident.

Bose said the incident, which lasted for nearly 45 minutes, was "humiliating" and "very traumatising". She said the police at Frankfurt Airport got suspicious because she was carrying a breast pump, but travelling without her baby.

The German police, according to the BBC report, on Tuesday declined to comment on the specific allegations, but said such measures were "clearly" not part of routine procedure.

Bose, who was travelling alone, said she was on her way to board a flight to Paris last week when she was stopped at the security screening station.

She said that after her carry-on bag, which contained her breast pump, went through the X-ray machine, she was taken aside for questioning.