Meerut villagers pledge to boycott ‘anti-social elements’

MEERUT: The residents of a Meerut village, which was raided by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) thrice in 20 days in connection with a crackdown on an ISIS-inspired terror module, held a mahapanchayat on Sunday and unanimously pledged to boycott the allegedly criminal and anti-social elements because of whom their village, Rardhana, was getting a bad name.

The village is situated in the Kithore area of Meerut district. Residents of a few adjoining villages Bahroda, Indrapura, Bhagwanpur, Laliana and Saundat also attended the mahapanchayat at the Islamia Madarsa.

At the mahapanchayat, Jamiat Ulema district president

Amir Azam appealed to the villagers to take a pledge to boycott those involved in illegal activities. The villagers endorsed him by raising their hands and taking a pledge.

The villagers asked officials to initiate action against those involved in illegal activities and promised to extend full support in nailing them.

The villagers said the raids were not an isolated instance of their village being in the news for the wrong reasons.

They said Rardhana was among a few villages in the region which had earned a bad name because of the alleged involvement of some residents in arms- peddling, smuggling and making country made weapons.