Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav was accused of a belated reaction to September's violence in Muzaffarnagar.
Weeks after nearly 60 people were killed in Muzaffarnagar in the worst riots in Uttar Pradesh in over a decade, this western part of the state is on edge again, with four people killed in the last 24 hours.
It is unclear whether the latest violence is linked to Hindu-Muslim tension, which led to clashes in September that were so severe that the army was called in. Thousands who fled their homes as whole villages were set on fire are still living in refugee camps.
The state's top police officer, Devraj Nagar, said the new violence can "definitely be attributed to lapses on part of the police."
Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, who was accused of a belated reaction to September's violence, said that the riots are being instigated by "mischievous elements."
His father, Mulayam, who heads the ruling Samajwadi Party, said, "What has happened in the Muzaffarnagar riots is serious. The killings....the atrocities against Muslims. We cannot bring back the dead. But we have ensured families have been compensated so that they don't have to live without homes and food."
Around 500 paramilitary troops have been sent to Muzaffarnagar early today as a precaution, while eight people have been arrested.
September's clashes erupted when Jat farmers allegedly killed a Muslim man who they accused of sexually harassing a woman, triggering a deadly retaliation that quickly spiralled into three days of riots.
The chief minister had blamed the opposition BJP for instigating the violence with inflammatory speeches. The BJP accuses the Yadavs and government officials of enacting policies that are lopsided in favour of Muslims.
The Muzaffarnagar riots have featured in speeches by different leaders campaigning in Uttar Pradesh for the national election.
The police says there were two separate incidents which led to the four deaths last night.
The first incident involved clashes between two groups of people from neighbouring villages over a land dispute, while a woman was killed by a different group of villagers in a separate incident.