Seven FIRs have been lodged at different police stations here against persons allegedly involved in providing shelter and government benefits to Rohingyas, police said on Tuesday.

The FIRs were lodged at police stations Satwari, Trikuta Nagar, Bagh-e-Bahu, Channi Himmat, Nowabad, Domana and Nagrota following searches at different locations in Jammu district, a police spokesperson said.

The official said the FIRs were registered against people who are accused of providing shelter to foreign immigrants and also helping them avail government benefits.

The searches in the presence of magistrates were conducted at different locations where the Rohingyas are accommodated and also at the residential places of the facilitators, the spokesperson said.

During searches, the official said illegally acquired Indian documents like PAN cards, Adhaar cards, bank documents among other incriminating material were seized.

“Investigation into the matter has started and other details will be shared subsequently. Stringent action in the future shall be taken against all such defaulters,” the spokesperson said.

A day earlier, police in Kishtwar district registered a case following recovery of illegally obtained documents like Adhaar cards during a crackdown against Rohingyas in the district.

The case was registered under various sections of Indian Penal Code including 420 (cheating), 467 (forgery of important documents), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating) and 471 (using as genuine a forged document) at police station Dachhan.

Rohingyas are Bengali-dialect speaking Muslim minority from Myanmar. Following persecution in their country, many Rohingyas entered India illegally through Bangladesh and took shelter in Jammu and other parts of the country.

According to government data, over 13,700 foreigners, including Rohingya Muslims and Bangladeshi nationals, are settled in Jammu and other districts of Jammu and Kashmir, where their population has increased by over 6,000 between 2008 and 2016.

Earlier in March 2021, police found over 250 Rohingyas, including women and children, living illegally in Jammu city during a verification drive and subsequently lodged them in a holding centre inside Sub-jail Kathua.

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