Even as the hapless migrants are in a state of shock after losing their jobs due to corona-induced lockdown and then returning homes after much troubles, a letter by a senior Bihar police official linking their returns with possible threats to law and order situation has triggered storms in the political circles of the state.

The whole controversy generated after additional director general of police (law and order) Amit Kumar shot off a letter to all the district magistrates and district superintendents of police, alerting them about the possible increase in the incidents of crime in the state in the aftermath of a huge number of migrant workers returning to the state.

In the letter, the official mentioned that a huge number of migrant workers have returned to the state in the past two months. “Migrant workers facing acute financial crisis are under extreme mental stress. There are only faint chances of them getting desired jobs in the state despite all efforts by the government, and hence they may indulge in illegal and unethical jobs to run their families, which may result in sudden spurt in crime and pose severe threats to the law and order situation in the state,” the official mentioned in his letter written on 29 May.

He said the law and order problem could arise in the “limited area” or span out on a massive scale. “Keeping in view the situation, you are requested to draw up an action plan to act as per the situation,” the official said. The copies of his controversial letters were also sent to the zonal deputy inspector general of police, divisional commissioners, additional director general of police(special branch) and additional chief secretary (home).

The main opposition RJD today strongly objected to the contents of the letter, describing it as an insult to the migrants from Bihar. “The very letter by the state government is a sheer mockery of dignity of labourers who are being viewed as ‘thieves, robbers and criminals’. Shame on such government,” said Bihar opposition letter Tejashwi Yadav. “How can the government write such a letter? Does chief minister Nitish Kumar think all the migrants who returned to Bihar are criminals?” asked Tejashwi.

According to an official report, more than 20 lakh migrants have returned to Bihar so far. The government data is based on the number of migrants returning to the state by boarding Shramik Special trains but unofficial figures put the number of returnees at around 40 lakh since quite large number of the returned to the state also came hiring trucks, buses, tractors, cycles, hand carts and even on foot.