Patna: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday said top officials from the state were in constant touch with their counterparts in Gujarat and appealed to Biharis living in the western state to stay put where they were.

Mr Kumar, who had a telephonic talk with Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani on Monday amid a large number of migrant workers hailing from Bihar and some other Hindi-belt states fleeing Gujarat following attacks on them, said a constant watch is being kept on the situation there.

“Our chief secretary and DGP are in constant touch with their counterparts in Gujarat. We are keeping a watch on the situation there. I would also appeal to the people (from Bihar living in Gujarat) that they stay firmly where they were notwithstanding the incidents that have taken place,” Mr Kumar told reporters on the sidelines of a function here.

Mr Kumar had on Monday said he spoke to Mr Rupani to enquire about the situation in Gujarat where violence has erupted following the alleged rape of a 14-month-old girl allegedly by a Bihar resident.

Deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi, speaking separately, echoed the views expressed by Mr Kumar and also squarely blamed Congress MLA Alpesh Thakor’s outfit for the violence against Biharis.

Mr Thakor is also the Congress secretary for Bihar.