I have not seen any humanity in the Indian government: A Rohingya refugee’s statement

POBNEWS24, Desk report Aug 29, 2025 : India is dumping Myanmar’s oppressed Rohingyas into the sea on a naval ship. This is what 40 Rohingya refugees have alleged. They allege that they were detained from the capital Delhi and dumped on a naval ship.
The refugees face an uncertain future amid the fierce civil war in Myanmar. The United Nations has said that India’s move has put the lives of the Rohingyas in “extreme danger”. The British media outlet BBC reported this information on Friday (August 29).
Nurul Amin last spoke to his brother on the phone on May 9. In that brief phone conversation, he learned that his brother Khairul and four other members of his family had been sent back to Myanmar by the Indian government. They had originally fled that country many years ago to save their lives.
Ethnic groups and resistance forces are currently fighting against the junta that seized power in 2021 through a military coup. In such a situation, the possibility of Amin’s family being reunited is almost non-existent. “I can’t even imagine the pain my parents and relatives are going through,” said 24-year-old Amin, who lives in Delhi.
The BBC tracked down the Rohingya in Myanmar three months after they were evacuated from Delhi. Most have taken refuge with the Bahtee Army (BHA), which is fighting against the junta in southwestern Myanmar. “We are not safe here. The whole area is like a war zone,” Syed Noor said in a video call, along with six other Rohingya in the wooden shelter.
The BBC has reconstructed the sequence of events through interviews with refugees and their relatives in Delhi, expert investigations and information gathering. According to the information, they were flown from Delhi to an island in the Bay of Bengal. From there, they were taken to a naval ship and finally dumped in the Andaman Sea. They later swam ashore. Now they face an uncertain future in Myanmar.
A Rohingya named John told his brother on the phone, “We were tied up, blindfolded and taken to a ship like prisoners. Then they threw us into the sea.” Nurul Amin expressed his anger and said, “How can people be thrown into the sea like this? Humanity is still alive on earth, but I have not seen any humanity in the Indian government.”
UN Special Rapporteur Thomas Andrews said he had “important information” to prove these allegations. He also submitted evidence to the head of India’s mission in Geneva, but has not received a response. The BBC also contacted the Indian Foreign Ministry, but there was no response.
The situation of the Rohingya in India is already precarious. The country does not recognize them as refugees; instead, it identifies them as “illegal immigrants.” Currently, 23,800 Rohingya in India are registered with the UN refugee agency UNHCR, but according to Human Rights Watch, the real number is more than 40,000.
After the army’s brutal crackdown in Myanmar in 2017, millions of Rohingya fled to Bangladesh. Currently, there are more than a million Rohingya in Bangladesh.
The BBC reported that on May 6, 40 Rohingya living in different parts of Delhi were summoned to a local police station. It was said that their photos and fingerprints would be collected as per the government’s rules. After waiting for hours, they were taken to the city’s Inderlok detention center.
Amin said that at that time his brother called to tell them that they were being taken to Myanmar and asked them to seek legal help and inform the UNHCR. Then on May 7, they were sent from Hindon Airport to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Once there, they were taken by bus. The buses had the words ‘Indian Navy’ written on them.
Syed Noor said, “As soon as we got on the bus, our hands were tied with plastic, our faces were covered with black cloth.” Within a short time, they were taken to a naval ship. They stayed on the large warship for about 14 hours. They were given rice, dal and cheese as food.
But during this time, many were beaten and insulted. Syed Noor said, “We were treated very badly. Some were repeatedly slapped, many were beaten.” In the video call, Fayaz Ullah showed the injury marks on his hands. He said he was punched, slapped, and poked with bamboo. He was asked, “Why did you come to India illegally?”
15 of the 40 were Christian Rohingya. Noor claims that they were asked why they left Islam and converted to Christianity, why they did not become Hindus. They were even checked to see if they had been circumcised. One was also accused of being involved in the Pahalgam attack in Kashmir, although there is no evidence.
On the evening of May 8, they were put in small rubber boats and forced into the sea. They were given life jackets. They were told that they had reached Indonesia, but in fact they were near Myanmar. Local fishermen found them in the early hours of May 9. They were allowed to use their phones, and they informed their relatives in India. Since then, the Bahtu Army has been providing them with food and shelter.
The United Nations has said that India has put the lives of the Rohingya in “extreme danger” by dumping them in the Andaman Sea.
Panic has gripped India’s Rohingya community. Many have taken cover, some are no longer at home. “I just have fear in my mind — the Indian government will take us and throw us into the sea at any time. Now we are afraid to even leave our homes,” said Nurul Amin.
“The Rohingya did not want to stay in India, they came to escape the terrible violence in Myanmar. They are really running for their lives,” said Andrews of the UN.