Rohingya Families in Jammu Face Prolonged Detention During Ramadan

Photo: Collected

Arakan Now, 17 March 2026

More than 250 Rohingya refugees remain in detention in the Jammu region of Jammu and Kashmir during the holy month of Ramadan, raising growing human rights concerns. The detainees have been held since 2021 after authorities launched operations to identify undocumented migrants. Many are confined at a holding facility in Hiranagar in Kathua district near the India–Pakistan border, according to local reports.

The Rohingyas fled their homeland in Myanmar after a military crackdown in 2017 forced more than one million people into exile, most of them to Bangladesh. Smaller groups also sought refuge in India, including in settlements such as Narwal in the city of Jammu.

Human rights advocates say many detainees have remained in custody for years without criminal charges, largely because they lack legal documents or resources to challenge their detention. The policy has separated many families, leaving children in refugee settlements while parents remain in detention centers.