IMPHAL (IANS) — Seven Rohingya Muslims were deported on Thursday and formally handed over by Indian authorities to Myanmar officials at Moreh in Manipur, in the wake of the Supreme Court’s refusal to stay their deportation.

The seven men were arrested in Assam in 2012 for illegally entering India and have since served their six-year prison terms in Silchar district.

They were brought to Moreh from Assam by Assistant Commandant Sudashu Kumar posted with the paramilitary force in Assam. After completion of formalities, the seven persons were handed over to Aung Myo, Deputy Director of Immigration in Myanmar.

Following Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s directive, northeastern states sharing international borders with different countries in the region had tightened security to ensure that displaced Rohingya Muslims do not enter India.

Police sources said that several Rohingya immigrants were arrested at Moreh as well as Jiribam district bordering Assam, including Rohingya girls suspected to be victims of human trafficking.

Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court dismissed a plea for a stay on the deportation of the seven Rohingya immigrants.

A bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, Justice Sanjay Krishan Kaul and Justice K.M. Joseph dismissed the plea as the Centre said that Myanmar had accepted them as their citizens.

The Rohingya people are a minority Muslim community from the Rakhine state in Myanmar.