MUMBAI/PATNA: Protesters in northern and eastern India set alight trains, blocked roads and damaged the home of the head of a Tata Motors factory yesterday, in retaliation for attacks on migrants in western India.

The migration of thousands of workers from impoverished northern and eastern states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar into India’s booming financial capital Mumbai has sparked a violent backlash, However, residents of Mumbai returned to work, and schools and shops were open. But there was violence in Kalyan town in Maharashtra, where Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) President Raj Thackeray, the nephew of Hindu extremist leader Bal Thackeray, was held overnight in jail.

A curfew was imposed as Raj was brought to Kalyan court to face multiple charges. But the Maharashtra government received a setback after the court in Kalyan town in Thane district, granted bail to Raj after he was produced in the court yesterday afternoon.

In the first case filed against Raj by the Dombivili police for the attacks on north Indian candidates that had come for the railway recruitment exams at Dombivili last Sunday, the court granted bail to Raj on a cash surety of Rs.15,000.

Violence flared again in the poor north and east of India. In Jharkhand state, a mob damaged the home of the head of a Tata Motors factory, also based in Mumbai, while in Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Mayawati demanded MNS be banned, echoing calls by other legislators in Parliament.

Mayawati, chief of Bahujan Samaj Party, warned of a backlash against Maharashtrians in Uttar Pradesh and other states. “There are many people from Maharashtra in other states who could be at the receiving end for none of their fault,” she said.

Three people, two north Indians and one brother of MNS leader, were killed when two groups clashed in Pisoli village near Kalyan on Tuesday night.

However, in a strange development, Bal Thackeray congratulated his nephew for his bold stand on the issue of Marathi pride and Marathi people.

Thackeray who had only recently lambasted Raj and criticized him, said that Raj was like a king, and some people were jealous of his nephew because they feared that Raj would become a king.

— With input from agencies