Jammu, Dec 19, KNT: Around 400 Rohingya families living on the outskirts of Jammu have been struggling without water and electricity for the past two weeks, leaving them in dire conditions.
The affected families reside in areas such as Malik Market, Narwal, Kiryani Talab, and Sunjwan.
Rohingyas said that disconnection of essential services was ordered by the Deputy Commissioner’s office, despite assurances from the former Omar Abdullah-led government that refugees in Jammu and Kashmir would receive necessary facilities.
Speaking to the Kashmir News Trust, some Rohingya refugees described their plight, highlighting the hardships they face daily. “We are being treated like animals. Even locals have been warned against helping us. We have no choice but to fetch water in buckets from far-off places, including mosques,” one of the Rohingyas said.
The refugees, who claim to be certified by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), expressed deep frustration over their treatment. “Despite holding UNHCR certification, we are denied basic human rights,” another refugee added.
Official data indicates that over 13,700 foreigners, primarily Rohingya and Bangladeshi nationals, currently live in various districts of Jammu and Kashmir. [KNT]
