(CNN) Police in a conservative province of Indonesia forcibly shaved the hair of a group of transgender women and made them wear men's clothing, state media reported, in a crackdown on the LGBT community that has horrified human rights activists.

A group of 12 women were taken into custody during raids on five beauty salons early Sunday morning, North Aceh Police Chief Ahmad Untung Surianata told Antara.

The police chief said his men had shaved the women's hair off and given them men's clothes to wear, as part of their "coaching" to "become men."

"In addition, the officers also nurtured them by way of having them run for some time and telling them to chant loudly until their male voices came out," he said.

Surianata said the operation had been part of a campaign to prevent LGBT people from "adversely affecting" Indonesia's next generation. The women were taken to a police station for "further guidance," Antara said.