Indian police have detained more than 150 Rohingya refugees found living illegally in the northern region of Jammu and Kashmir and a process has begun to deport them back to Myanmar, two officials said yesterday. 

Dozens of Rohingya are in a makeshift "holding centre" at Jammu's Hira Nagar jail after local authorities conducted biometric and other tests on hundreds of people to verify their identities.

"The drive is part of an exercise to trace foreigners living in Jammu without valid documents," said one of the two officials, who declined to be named as they are not authorized to speak to the media.

"We have started the process of deportation of these refugees," the official added.

India rejects a UN position that deporting the Rohingya violates the principle of refoulement – sending refugees back to a place where they face danger.

Rohingyas staying in India have said conditions are not conducive for them to return to Myanmar.