Guwahati, Nov 9 (IANS): Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday lauded the efforts of the state police and National Investigation Agency (NIA) for cracking down on the Rohingya infiltration issue by arresting at least 48 individuals across the country.

In a post on X, the Chief Minister said: "Infiltration by Rohingyas is a threat to national security and this attempt to use Assam as a corridor has been successfully thwarted. Using all the resources at our disposal, we are committed to maintain the strictest vigil and extinguish their nefarious designs.

"Excellent synergy between the two forces. Well done!"

On Wednesday, Assam Special DGP Harmeet Singh said that a gang of middlemen was using Assam and Tripura as corridors to illegally bring the Rohingya people from Bangladesh and later the infiltrators were sent to different locations of the country.

“Last February, Assam Police arrested a group of Rohingyas who illegally entered India in the Karimganj district. They were being sent to other states of the country by train from Bangladesh via Tripura,” he said.

“We have got some explosive information after interrogating these Rohingyas and accordingly the police operation intensified. At least 450 illegal Bangladeshis and Rohingyas were arrested and pushed back.”

According to a senior police officer, the middlemen associated with human trafficking are spread in different states of India as well as in Bangladesh.

“At least 10 such middlemen were arrested from Tripura in July after the Special Task Force of Assam Police launched an intensified operation.”

The police said that the internal security of the country has come under threat due to Rohingya infiltration in different parts of the country through Assam.

Notably, the Chief Minister had recommended an NIA probe into the Rohingya infiltration issue and subsequently the Assam Police handed over the case to central probe agency.