The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, in a statement on Thursday, said at least 40 Rohingya refugees were detained in New Delhi and cast into the sea by the Indian navy near the maritime border with Myanmar. The refugees, including children, women and older people, swam ashore, but their whereabouts in Myanmar remain unknown, the agency said. Five Rohingya refugees on Friday confirmed to the Associated Press that their family members were part of the group that were detained by Indian authorities on May 6. The group, including 15 Christians, were flown in an aircraft and later cast into the sea by Indian navy authorities on May 8, they said. Dilawar Hussain, a lawyer representing the refugees, said the families have filed a petition in India’s top court, urging the Indian government to bring them back to New Delhi.

India’s navy and foreign ministry declined to comment. In its statement Thursday, the rights office said it had appointed a UN expert to probe into what it called were “unconscionable, unacceptable acts”. The UN agency urged the Indian government to refrain from “inhumane and life-threatening treatment of Rohingya refugees, including their repatriation into perilous conditions in Myanmar”. (Jamaica Gleaner)