Punitive action against Rohingyas by Jammu District Administration

Jammu – Launching a fresh offensive against the landlords who have rented out and accommodated a large number of illegal immigrants from Myanmar (Rohingya refugees) on their vacant plots the Jammu and Kashmir administration has now decided to cut off power and water supply lines to evict illegal occupants at the earliest.

At least 400 families of Rohinhyas, residing inside temporary structures raised on these plots, have been affected by the recent diktat. Confirming the same, a Rohingya immigrant told The Pioneer that, “For the last two days we have been facing a lot of hardships as power and water supply has been snapped in the Narwal Bala and Sunjwan area of Jammu. The landlord has given us a final ultimatum to vacate the plot at the earliest.”

1. Official sources revealed the district administration has decided to act tough against all those landlords who have sheltered these illegal immigrants on their plots. According to the latest assessment of the Home Department, more than 6,000 Rohingyas are camping across different locations across Jammu district and several other illegal immigrants have also shifted to other district headquarters of Samba, Kathua, Doda, Kishtwar, Rajouri, Poonch.

2. Rohingya Salamat Ullah said, ‘We fled Myanmar to escape persecution. We have been living in Jammu since 2008 and 2012. Where will we go now ?’

3. In October 2023, Anwara Begum, a Rohingya woman from Kishtwar district, was arrested for making a fake domicile certificate. Along with this, a case was also registered against the broker and the revenue officer involved in it.

4. ‘Rohingyas pose a security threat here. Therefore, verification of tenants is inevitable,’ said the official.

5. According to Government data, about 13,400 illegal migrants from Myanmar and Bangladesh are living in Jammu and Kashmir.

Editorial Perspective

It is right to take such action; but how these Rohingyas came to Jammu and who allowed them to stay is also important and strict action should be taken against those who did so and those who allowed this illegal immigration.