New Delhi / Maungdaw, May 12, 2025 —
Indian authorities have allegedly deported 43 Rohingya refugees—including women, children, the elderly, and seriously ill patients—by throwing them into international waters near the Myanmar maritime border, according to a report by Maktoob Media.
The alleged incident took place on May 8, the same day when the Solicitor General of India assured the Supreme Court that all deportation procedures would be carried out “strictly in accordance with the law.”
However, survivors and family members now say the reality was starkly different.
Two Rohingya individuals confirmed to Maktoob Media that their relatives—originally detained from Uttam Nagar, New Delhi—had reached Myanmar after being forced into the sea from Indian naval ships. They said the refugees were blindfolded, their hands tied, and placed on vessels departing from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, where they had been flown after arrest.
“My parents were taken to Port Blair and then thrown into the sea, blindfolded and handcuffed. They were treated like criminals, even though they are UNHCR-registered refugees,” said David Nazir, a Rohingya Christian community representative.
Among the 43 forcibly deported individuals are 13 women, children as young as 15, female minors as young as 16, and elderly up to 66 years old, some of whom reportedly suffer from cancer and other serious illnesses.
Despite being registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in India, these individuals were detained by Delhi Police under the pretense of collecting biometric data, then removed without notice to their families or legal counsel.
A petition prepared for the Supreme Court of India describes the incident as a grave human rights violation, stating:
“These individuals were abandoned into the sea, without regard for their lives or safety. Such actions violate India’s constitutional principles and international obligations.”
The petition demands that the Government of India immediately trace and return the deported refugees to New Delhi and release them from any custody.
The Rohingya community remains stateless after Myanmar refused to accept returnees, despite overwhelming evidence that they fled genocidal violence. For many, deportation is not repatriation—it is a life-threatening act of abandonment.
Source: Maktoob Media
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