Student Yashika Bageerathi Is Deported Back To Mauritius, Home Office Confirms

Student Deported Back To Mauritius, Home Office Confirms

Student Yashika Bageerathi has been deported back home to Mauritius while her family remains in the UK, the Home Office has confirmed.

The 19-year-old, who was predicted top grades in her A-levels, was removed from the country on Wednesday night, after a last ditch attempt to block her extradition failed.

Earlier in the day a High Court judge refused to grant an injunction to stop her removal, despite a 175,000 person-strong campaign and pleas from politicians to show compassion.

Keith Vaz, chairman of the home affairs committee, wrote to Theresa May asking her to "urgently reconsider" the "needlessly cruel" decision to deport Bageerathi.

The talented student, who has already had offers from Russell Group universities, was said to be "petrified" at the prospect of returning to Mauritius, which she fled in 2012 to escape an abusive relative. She had been held in a detention centre since mid-March, with only some small change and the clothes she was wearing when she was picked up.

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Yashika Bageerathi deportation

Yashika Bageerathi Protest

Lynne Dawes, principal of Oasis Academy Hadley in Enfield, the school behind the petition, told the BBC: "Why can't there just be some compassion and humanity to allow her to stay and do those A-Levels?

"I know there are laws but I just cannot get why, in effect, what is a few more months. It wouldn't hurt anyone over here, but it would make such a massive difference to her life."

The head teacher praised Bageerathi's selflessness: "She does one-to-one maths tuition in her spare time and she wants to be a maths teacher. She is willing to do anything and on a wider front, she acts an ambassador for the academy."

A Home Office spokesman said: "We consider every claim for asylum on its individual merits and in this case the applicant was not considered to be in need of protection.

"The case has gone through the proper legal process and our decision has been supported by the courts on five separate occasions."

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