Sharma was one of the many from the North India who sent relatives, especially women and children, back to their native villages in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Chattisgarh.

Even as wary women peered through the window bars refusing to comment on any questions asked to them, their husbands and brothers who were grouped outside the bogie confessed that the city's tense atmosphere in the past few days had compelled them to take the decision to send their wives, sisters and children back home.

"Most of us had come here in search of jobs and were employed as construction labourers. Since the past couple of days our 'basti' has been rife with stories of who got threatened or assaulted. We can take care of ourselves, but do not want our women and children to be harmed," said Sukhdeo Patel.

The fear of antagonising their jobs and their children's education has led others like Sharma to send women back home, while the children will join their mothers later. "My daughter goes to Marathi school here, if I send her to Bihar her medium of instruction will shift to Hindi. I do not want her education to suffer," said Sharma.