Pakistan, June 27 -- NEW DELHI - Human rights groups and legal experts have condemned India for carrying out what they call illegal and discriminatory deportations of Muslims to Bangladesh, many of whom claim to be Indian citizens. The alarming reports have sparked fear among India's 200 million Muslims, especially in the eastern states where Bengali is widely spoken.

According to officials from both countries, hundreds-possibly over 2,500 people-have been forced across the border since May. Many victims say they were pushed into Bangladeshi territory at gunpoint without trial or proper documentation checks. Bangladesh's border authorities have confirmed receiving over 1,600 people, including some they identified as Indian citizens and s...