Late on Tuesday, Vinay Dubey, a resident of Airoli, was picked up by the Rabale police and handed over to the Navghar police in Mumbai for instigating migrant workers to come out on the roads.

Officials said he was later taken to the Bandra police station for inquiries. “Mr. Dubey had posted a video on Facebook, encouraging the migrant workers to protest. We picked him up from his residence at Sector 6 in Airoli. He claims to be a social worker,” senior police inspector Yogesh Gawde, Rabale police station, said.

The video on the Facebook was liked by 16,000 people and shared further on other social networks by 15,000 people.

Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh late on Tuesday night said an investigation would be conducted into who spread the rumour about starting trains. “I have ordered an investigation into the rumour that claimed trains to take migrants back home. Those found guilty of sparking such rumours will be dealt with severely invoking the fullest force of law,” he said, after Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray too promised of action. Mr. Thackeray, in his address to the the people of the State, had said he spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday.

‘All parties united’

He said all parties, irrespective of their ideologies, were together in the battle against COVID-19. “Do not spread misunderstandings. We will not allow this fire to spread. All parties and their senior leaders are together in the fight. Modiji and Amit Shahji, with whom I spoke today, Sonia Gandhiji and Sharad Pawarji all stand together. Raj (Thackeray) is also with me in this,” the CM said.

Mr. Thackeray also warned that his government will not allow anybody to play with the sentiments of poor migrant workers and disturb the law and order situation in the State. “I will not let the situation go out of control,” he said, adding culprits will be punished.

The CM’s warning came in the light of over 1,000 migrant workers assembling near Bandra station on Tuesday afternoon to demand that transport arrangements be made to send them back to their native places.

Mr. Thackeray appealed to migrants to stay calm and not panic. “We, Indians, can face this challenge together,” he said.

(With inputs from Raina Assainar and PTI)