HYDERABAD: Hyderabad Task Force sleuths on Wednesday apprehended three Rohingya refugees for illegal stay in the country. In what has come as a shock to many, the refugees were found have illegally obtained identity cards and avail the benefits of government schemes. One of the refugee’s wife had even availed the benefits of KCR Kits.
The three men -- Mohd Ibrahim(25), Noor-ul-Ameen(34), Shaik Azhar(28) -- are all natives of Buthidaung in Rakhine state, Myanmar. They were staying in Bahadurpura in the city.
Ibrahim, according to police, came to Hyderabad in 2015 after living in Bangladesh for two years after he fled from Myanmar. He and his wife Akhitara Begum, living with their 8-month old son, even obtained voter ID cards and Aadhar card. Begum also used the Aadhar card for claiming government scheme benefits such as KCR kits.
Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police, Task Force, S Chaitanya Kumar said that the accused first obtained voter ID card and driving license by submitting an electricity bill as address proof. Once they obtained a voter ID card, they applied for Aadhaar, ration card, PAN and other ID proofs. Finally, they would apply for passports. Throughout the process, they would hide their nationality and other details so that they may claim benefits of welfare schemes.
The refugees had fled from Myanmar due to turbulent political atmosphere and ethnic and religious persecution in the country. Due to a hostile government, they needed to escape on foot through jungle terrain, staying away from surveillance apparatus of security forces. Soon they reached Maungdaw, located on the shores of river Naf that divides the countries of Bangladesh and Myanmar. From Maungdaw, they went to Teknaf in Bangladesh on ferries. The journey is dangerous and illegal, and conducted with the help of local dalals (dealers).
From Teknaf, the refugees made their way to a Rohingya refugee camp at Cox Bazar in Bangladesh. Later, they travelled to Dhaka by bus and then Bhomra on the Indian border. Dalals facilitated their entry into the country, by crossing the Ichamati river. From there, they travelled into the Indian States such as West Bengal and Bihar.