NEW DELHI, 10 March, 2020, (TON): Dozens of Myanmar nationals have gathered at the border with India waiting to join about 50 who have already crossed the frontier to flee the country’s coup turmoil, Indian officials said on Saturday.

Myanmar authorities have meanwhile asked India to send back eight police who crossed the border seeking refuge after refusing to carry out orders ‘to uphold friendly relations’ between the two countries.

48 Myanmar nationals, including the eight police, have entered India’s northeastern state of Mizoram, a senior officer in the Assam Rifles paramilitary force said.

Around 100 people from Myanmar, mostly policemen and their families, have crossed over a porous border into India since the protests began, according to a senior Indian official. Several have taken shelter in Mizoram’s Champhai district bordering Myanmar.

On February 1, Myanmar's military detained State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint in the country's first coup since 1988, bringing an end to a decade of civilian rule.

The Suu Kyi-led National League for Democracy had won a landslide in a general election in November. But the military has claimed the election was marred by fraud.

Myanmar has been gripped by mass protests and strikes after the military coup last month.

Security forces have taken a hard line against the demonstrations and at least 55 deaths have been reported.