Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Thursday condemned rumours about attacks on people from northeastern India living in other states while calling on people to remain vigilant and maintain peace at any cost, according to Press Trust of India.

"We must work together to ensure that all people from other states do not feel threatened by rumor mongering and SMSes. We have to maintain peace at any cost," Singh said on the sidelines of an official function in the Indian capital.

People from the northeast have been fleeing by the thousands in Karnataka, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh after receiving rumors on the cell phones and internet that they will be attacked by the Muslims in these places.

The exodus of northeast people from other parts of India came in the wake of a month-long communal conflict between Muslims and Bodo people in Assam, in which over 70 were killed.

"We have to maintain communal harmony. We have to be vigilant," Singh said, adding he had spoken to Karnataka chief minister Jagdish Shettar and Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan and was constantly in touch with Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi. He said he was yet to speak with Andhra Pradesh chief minister Kiran Reddy.