Senior Superintendent of Police Asif Ahmed said the operation was launched after police received intelligence inputs on Saturday about alleged illegal immigration in the state.

The detained persons have been identified as Nabijal Khatun, Sahara Khatun, Mamoni Begum, Rahima Begum, Champaful Khatun, Fatema Khatun, Akbar Ali, Nurjamal Sheikh and Sahida Khatun.

“Assam CM has directed us to take strong action against illegal Bangladesh immigrants entering Assam and hiding across districts.

Yesterday, we received an input on illegal immigration in Assam and nine such immigrants from Bangladesh have been held,” Ahmed told reporters.

The SSP said the identities and citizenship status of the detained persons are being verified, following which police would proceed as per the law.

“The investigation is going on and we cannot reveal all the details, but the detained individuals have been traced from the Behali and Biswanath areas.

They have been spending their daily lives here,” he said. According to Ahmed, the nine persons have claimed that they had been living in Assam for several years. Police are also trying to trace their family members and ascertain their present locations.

“We will follow the existing State government SOP and take the process to its logical conclusion. All those declared foreigners will have to leave Assam,” the SSP said. He also said the operation against fraudsters, miscreants and other criminal elements was being conducted simultaneously.

Biswanath Police have arrested 11 individuals in connection with such cases, while further investigation is underway. “There are more names on the list and the probe is going on. As soon as we secure sufficient evidence, we will bring them under police action as well,” he said.

Ahmed cautioned that the arrests should not be viewed as the end of the crackdown. “They should not think this is the last round of operation. Ahmed said the latest detentions should not be seen as the end of the operation.

“There are more names on the list and the probe is going on.

As soon as we secure sufficient evidence, we will bring them under police action as well,” he said.

The operation came days after Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma chaired a two-day conference of district SSPs on September 2 and 3, where directions were issued on tackling alleged illegal immigration and other criminal activities.