New Delhi — A shocking revelation from the United Nations Human Rights Office has accused the Indian government of forcibly dumping 40 Rohingya refugees into the sea near the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The disturbing incident, reported by the Associated Press on Friday (May 16), has sparked international concern and prompted the UN to initiate an investigation.
According to the UN Human Rights Office, India has intensified its crackdown on Rohingya refugees who fled Myanmar’s military crackdown in 2017. As part of these efforts, the Indian Navy allegedly forced 40 Rohingya individuals out to sea. A UN-appointed expert has been tasked with probing the incident, and the organization has warned India against repeating such inhumane actions against refugees.
Lawyers from the UN Refugee Agency stated that the detainees were not presented in court as required under Article 22 of Indian law—an act that violates the Indian Constitution.
In 2017, over one million Rohingya Muslims fled Myanmar to escape a brutal military campaign. Among them, more than 22,000 sought refuge in India and were recognized as refugees by the United Nations. However, the Indian government has long viewed the Rohingya population as a threat to internal security and refuses to recognize them legally as refugees, labeling them instead as illegal immigrants.
Human rights groups have condemned India’s harsh treatment of Rohingya refugees. Local organizations report that on May 6, Delhi police detained several Rohingya individuals, including women, elderly, and even cancer patients. Forty of them were allegedly blindfolded and transported nearly 1,500 miles to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
There, the refugees were put aboard an Indian Navy vessel that sailed toward Myanmar’s Tanintharyi region. According to survivor testimonies, once near the Tanintharyi coast, they were given life jackets and forced to jump into the sea. Indian personnel allegedly ordered them to swim to a nearby Myanmar island.
One victim’s brother told reporters, “My brother called me using a fisherman’s phone. He said they were blindfolded and later thrown into the sea with life jackets. They had to swim for about 30 minutes before local fishermen rescued them and took them to an island.”
India’s People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) confirmed that teenagers, elderly individuals, and a cancer patient were among those forced into the sea. Fortunately, all 40 refugees reportedly survived and reached land safely. Some of them later alleged physical abuse by Indian naval personnel.
UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Myanmar, Tom Andrews, described the incident as “horrific.” He added, “I am collecting further evidence and testimonies regarding this matter and urge the Indian government to provide a full explanation.”
The international community awaits India’s official response as pressure mounts for transparency and accountability over the alleged violations.
