Rohingyas Vacate Alleged Illegal Settlement in Jammu’s Channi Rama Area
Jammu: Days after electricity and water connections were cut off to an alleged illegal settlement in the Channi Rama area of Jammu, Rohingya refugees on Thursday said they have vacated the site.
Authorities had earlier disconnected the utilities following complaints from residents of Nideesh Enclave, located nearby. Officials said the plot of land, where several shanties had been erected, belongs to a resident of Rajouri district.
Around 30 to 40 Rohingyas had been living in the makeshift shelters but cleared the area after receiving a directive from the police.
“Police came last evening and asked us to vacate. We requested some time and have now removed our jhuggies. We don’t know where to go,” one of the residents said.
Another woman added that the authorities had disconnected power and water supplies to the settlement nearly 20 days ago. “We came to Jammu four years ago and settled here,” she said.
According to the evacuees, police informed them they would be relocated to the holding centre at the Kathua jail.
The Jammu and Kashmir administration had launched a verification drive for Rohingyas in 2021, during which 271 individuals were moved to the Hiranagar holding centre. The number has since increased to 283, including 60 children and 84 women, according to jail officials. Part of the Hiranagar sub-jail has been converted into a detention facility to house them.
Earlier, the Tehsildar Bahu, Jammu, had instructed the Power Development Department (PDD) and Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department to disconnect electricity and water connections to the settlement near Nideesh Enclave, acting on a complaint from the local Residents’ Welfare Association citing law and order concerns.
A similar action was taken in December 2024 when authorities ordered the disconnection of water and power supplies to other Rohingya slums in Jammu.
As per government data, more than 13,700 foreigners — mostly Rohingyas and Bangladeshi nationals — are living in Jammu and Kashmir, with their numbers increasing by over 6,000 between 2008 and 2016.
