In the northeastern Indian state of Assam, fear and uncertainty have engulfed thousands of poor, working-class Bengali Muslims after reports emerged of Indian citizens being illegally detained and pushed across the border into Bangladesh. A detailed report by Mumbai-based civil rights group Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP), led by activist Teesta Setalvad, reveals that since May 23, over 300 individuals—many of them women and children—were picked up from 33 districts without legal notice or court orders.
According to CJP, around 150 of those detained were released, while approximately 145 were left in ‘no man’s land’ along the border. Many of them had been declared foreigners by Assam’s Foreigners Tribunal or were in the middle of legal proceedings to prove their citizenship. There were no formal deportation orders or repatriation agreements disclosed, leaving families in anguish and confusion.
Victims like 60-year-old Hazera Khatun, previously out on bail and awaiting a court verdict, described being taken to detention camps, denied food, handed Bangladeshi currency, and abandoned in the rain near the border. Others shared similar traumatic experiences of spending nights without shelter, food, or communication.
The report claims the crackdown may be politically motivated ahead of next year’s Assam elections, stoking panic among Bengali Muslim communities. Local journalists confirm the fear is widespread, as many remain unsure if or when they might be targeted next.
