The Home Ministry issued an advisory on Wednesday to the Maharashtra government asking it to take pre-emptive measures in view of the recent incidents.
A migrant youth from Uttar Pradesh was beaten to death on a local train last night, while on Monday, a Bihari youth was killed in police firing after he allegedly held a busload of passengers hostage at gunpoint.
The advisory says these incidents are “vitiating the atmosphere,” and “creating discord between different states”, and had advised Maharashtra to submit a detailed report on these incidents as well as any that take place in the future.
A preliminary report sent by the state on last night’s incident said the youth died after a clash between two groups on occupying seats on the train. This morning, Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil called up the Maharashtra CM and expressed grave concern over the death of the young migrant.
Patil will be visiting the state on Thursday. He will be at Nanded to attend a function.
Several officials, including Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta, are monitoring the situation and the Maharashtra Police has been advised to remain extra sensitive to ethnic conflicts.