UN team visits Jammu’s slums housing Rohingyas amid fresh crackdown by police

The UN team’s visit assumed significance as it came in the wake of fresh crackdown on “illegal” immigrants in Jammu since November

Amid renewed crackdown on Rohingyas and Bangladeshis by the police in J&K, a two-member team of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on Wednesday took stock of the situation in Jammu.

The UN team, comprising Senior Protection Officer Tomoko Fukumura and Protection Associate Ragini Trakroo Zutushi, visited the Rohingya Muslim community in Kiryani Talab area of Narwal, a slum housing shanties of the community. According to Rohingyas living illegally in Jammu, several members of the community were rounded up by the police in the past one month.

The UN team’s visit assumed significance as it came in the wake of fresh crackdown on “illegal” immigrants in Jammu since November. The drive also attracted a spotlight after the authorities started cutting off water and electricity supplies to Rohingyas and Bangladesh settlers following an order passed by a magistrate on the directions of the police. 

However, J&K’s ruling party National Conference (NC), including Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and party president Dr. Farooq Abdullah, opposed any move to cut off essential supplies to these families. Both the leaders pitched for a humanitarian approach towards the community “till the Centre finalises a policy on how to deal with the community”.  

The J&K government has already passed directions against snapping power and electricity supply to these families in Jammu. “They (Rohingyas) cannot be treated like animals and left to die in the winters,” CM Abdullah said. 

A total of 18 First Information Reports have been registered against landlords sheltering them in Jammu and over 400 Rohingyas were identified living in Jammu. Several have been detained, officials said. 

Published - December 11, 2024 11:23 pm IST