The United Nations has initiated a probe into serious allegations that India deported dozens of Rohingya refugees by forcing them off a naval ship into the Andaman Sea. While the Supreme Court of India questioned the credibility of the claims, the UN has termed the incident, if proven, as an unacceptable violation of human rights.
Refugees allege forced deportation through air transfer and sea drop-off
According to claims brought forward by Rohingya refugees and their representatives, around 40 individuals, including women, children, and elderly people, were detained in New Delhi before being flown to Port Blair via Indira Gandhi International Airport. They were allegedly moved through two more airports—Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata and Veer Savarkar International Airport in Port Blair—before being loaded onto a naval vessel and cast into the sea with only life jackets. The alleged incident occurred near the Myanmar coastline in the Andaman Sea.
The office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights issued a statement calling the reported action “unconscionable” and “unacceptable.” The agency is currently gathering information and testimonies to verify the sequence of events. Senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, who represented the petitioners, stated in court that he possessed reports and an audio clip from near Myanmar’s shores to support the allegations.
Supreme Court questions credibility of evidence and motive behind petition
The matter reached the Supreme Court on Friday, where a petition filed on behalf of the deported refugees alleged that 43 Rohingya individuals were detained under the pretext of biometric verification and later deported. However, a bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice N Kotiswar Singh expressed skepticism about the petition, describing it as “vague, evasive, and sweeping.” The court noted that there was no concrete evidence on record and questioned the origin and authenticity of the claims.
Justice Kant further remarked, “Every time, you have a new story. Now where is this beautifully crafted story coming from? Who was clicking the videos and photos? How did he come back?” The court emphasized that while foreign reports and audio evidence could be submitted, such materials cannot override Indian legal standards or national sovereignty.
India is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention or its 1967 Protocol and has no national refugee law. Nevertheless, the country hosts around 40,000 Rohingya refugees, of which approximately 22,500 are registered with the UNHCR.
