A Rohingya couple was brought in handcuffs to perform the last rites of their 43-day-old baby, who tragically passed away at a refugee detention centre in Jammu’s Kathua district. The incident occurred following clashes between inmates and police at the centre earlier this week, during which several people, including three policemen and Rohingyas, were injured.
The funeral of the infant was marred by the distressing sight of the parents in handcuffs, which was captured in two widely-shared videos on social media.
The authorities at the Kathua district jail have denied any connection between the baby’s death and the clashes.
According to Superintendent Koushal Kumar, the baby had been suffering from an ailment and passed away two days after the incident at the detention centre.
"Rohingyas have been observing multiple hunger strikes, demanding their release and deportation to their native country, Myanmar," he said.
However, Police agreed resorting to lathicharge and tear-gas shelling to maintain control, when clashes erupted.
Rohingyas at the "holding" centre have faced an uncertain fate, with 271 of them, including 144 women and children, currently detained.
The couple, Salim Mohammad and his wife, had arrived in Jammu in 2012, but were subsequently arrested during a refugee card checking.
Despite Salim possessing a UNHCR card allowing them to stay as refugees, they were detained at the Jammu district jail before being transferred to the holding centre in Hiranagar in 2021.
