The Supreme Court on Monday asked Centre why it has stopped supply of ration to the Mizoram Bru refugees in Tripura leading to starvation deaths.

A bench headed by CJI SA Bobde told the Centre to file reply within two weeks.

The bench condemned the Centre for its inhuman treatment towards the citizens and told it not to allow people to die in this manner.

“…Don’t do this, whatever is the reason. Don’t let people die in this manner,” the bench told the Centre.

In October, the Centre had stopped ration to the refugees after some of them declined to be deported to Mizoram.

After this incident, refugees had started a road obstruction on October 31 between Dasda town and Anandanagar in North Tripura. The logjam was removed on November 7 after Tripura Deputy Chief Minister Jishnu Dev Varma promised reintroduction of ration materials to the makeshift camps.

—India Legal Bureau