Seven Rohingya immigrants deported to Myanmar: Assam police

ANI photo

The seven Rohingya Muslims have been deported to  Myanmar, Assam police confirmed Thursday. 

"Seven Myanmarese nationals have been deported today. They were handed over to the authorities of the Myanmar at Moreh border post in Manipur," Assam Additional Director General of Police (Border) Bhaskar J. Mahanta told PTI over phone.

The seven refugees, who have been lodging in lodged in Cachar Central Jail in Assam's Silchar since 2012 on charges of illegal entry, were put in a bus on Wednesday and sent to the border to be deported to neighbouring Myanmar, a border police official told Reuters.

Assam Police hands over the 7 #Rohingyas to Myanmar authorities after deportation formalities were completed. These 7 Rohingyas had been in an Indian jail since 2012 for illegally entering the country. pic.twitter.com/AH5mplZUwG — ANI (@ANI) October 4, 2018

"This is a routine procedure, we deport all illegal foreigners," said Mahanta. 

Consular access had been given to Myanmar diplomats, who confirmed the identity of the immigrants, he added.

Earlier, the Supreme Court refused to interfere in the decision of the Centre thus allowing the deportation of the seven Rohingya refugees to Myanmar.

The bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi announced that the seven Rohingyas were found to be illegal immigrants and Myanmar has accepted them as its citizens. "We are not inclined to interfere on the decision taken," the apex court said.

The Centre told Myanmar that it has issued a certificate of identity to the Rohingyas along with one month visa to facilitate deportation. The Myanmar Embassy has agreed to take them back.