LUCKNOW, Dec. 9 -- "We are poor, not criminals," said Nankai, a Bahraich native who has lived in Lucknow for 25 years. "This verification drive for illegal immigrants is important, but people like us get caught in between. We are citizens of UP." The city's intensified efforts to identify illegal Bangladeshi and Rohingya immigrants have left low-income residents anxious amid reports that 160 sanitation workers from a private agency absconded after being asked to submit identification, prompting authorities to step up checks across multiple zones.

The drive gathered momentum after direct intervention from chief minister Yogi Adityanath, prompting coordinated inspections by the police, civic authorities, and elected representatives. Reside...