Incholi
Incholi is a village in the Meerut district of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is situated 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) from the city of Meerut, of the main road that connects Meerut to Bahsuma.
The village was refounded by a Shekh La-al, who was a commander of the Mughal forces in southern India during the reign of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan (r. 1627–1658).[1]
History
According to some traditions, it was founded by Pathan migrants from the Afghani town of Ancholi. It is also believed that these Pathan settlers established several villages called "Incholi" in three Indian districts of Meerut, Barabanki, and Muzaffarnagar.
After the Pathans arrived, Meerut's Incholi village became the property of two brothers of the Chauhan gotra (tribe). Following the death of one of the brothers, his widow was forced to give away her property to the surviving brother. Shekh La-al, commander of Southern India Forces under Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan and living in retirement in Meerut, was asked for help by the widow whereupon he took her property under his control and she returned to her father's town. Shekh La-al held the upper hand in the power struggle with the Chauhans until they conspired to murder him. He was invited to a dinner where all hosts and guests were without weapons but Shekh La-al spotted hidden daggers in the Chauhans' clothing. Without sitting down, he left the fort, using the excuse that he had left his stick somewhere outside. Seeing that their plan had been uncovered, the Chauhans followed Shekh La-al and in a sword fight just outside the gate he was stabbed in the chest and killed. When the news reached the Red Fort in Delhi, Shah Jahan and his forces marched from Delhi and brought an end to Chauhan dominance in Incholi.
Demographics
According to the 2001 Census of India, the population of Incholi was about 13,908 persons living in around 1917 households. Most of the population is Muslim, belonging mainly to the Shaikh community. Thes Shaikhs claim common descent from Shaikh Laljee, the founder of the village.
Infrastructure
Incholi possesses the only police station between the cities of Meerut and Mawana, and is responsible for law and order in numerous other local villages.
Although only technically a village, along with its police station Incholi also possesses a bank, an ATM, a hospital with separate veterinary hospital, a movie theatre, a telephone exchange, a 350,000 litres (77,000 imp gal; 92,000 US gal) water tank, a TV cable network, as well as several schools and computer centre.