India deports 7 Rohingya immigrants to Myanmar

New Delhi : India on Thursday deported seven Rohingya immigrants, who have been staying in Assam illegally since 2012, to Myanmar, constituting the first batch of such immigrants to be sent back to their homes.

The immigrants were under detention in Cachar Central Jail in Assam since 2012 when they were detained by police.

They were handed over to Myanmar authorities at Moreh border post in Manipur, said the official, adding the procedure was completed by state authorities.

The deportation process was started after Myanmar diplomats confirmed to Indian authorities that the immigrants were residents of the Rakhine State, where Myanmarese forces had effected a crackdown on the Rohingya community forcing lakhs of them to flee to Bangladesh.

The seven immigrants -- identified as Md Jamal, Mohbul Khan, Jamal Hussain, Md Yonus, Sabir Ahmed, Rahim Uddin and Md Salam -- were apprehended on July 29, 2012 on the charge of violating the Foreigners Act. They are aged between 25 and 35 years, the official said.

Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court dismissed a plea seeking a stay on the deportation of the seven illegal immigrants.