State Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said on Wednesday that 11 different methods were used to spread misinformation about outstation train services resuming on Tuesday, which caused more than 1,000 migrant workers to assemble outside Bandra railway station.

“The accounts [that spread rumours] have been tracked, FIRs are being filed, and due legal consequences will follow,” he said.

Late on Wednesday, the police arrested nine people for rioting and damage to property, from various locations in Bandra, bringing the total number of arrests in the incident to 11.

Earlier in the day, the police had arrested Navi Mumbai resident Vinay Dubey for allegedly posting inciting videos on Facebook, and Rahul Kulkarni, a senior journalist with Marathi news channel ABP Majha, for allegedly airing a wrong news report about resumption of train services, which led to rumours.

Public Works Department Minister and senior Congress leader Ashok Chavan said the Bandra incident appeared to be a political conspiracy. “Some forces are trying to patronise people on social media. Things like imposing President Rule in Maharashtra are being discussed on social media … This is not a time to play petty politics,” he said.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief spokesperson and Minority Affairs Minister Nawab Malik refuted reports that Mr. Dubey has any connection to his party.

“It was misreported that Dubey is a member of the NCP … He contested the election as an Independent from Airoli and not as an NCP candidate,” he said.