Khelo Mewat: Cricket, volleyball & wrestling is bringing youth out of drugs, cybercrime

Mewat, known as India's cybercrime capital, has found a new solution to the menace of drugs and other dark acts — Sports.

Khelo Mewat was launched earlier this year on an experimental basis and has villages of the region buzzing for the finale in September, TOI reported.

The event started with competitions among panchayat-level teams in the Mewat region and moved to to block-level matches, and will end with district-level finals.

The first edition has seen over 1,000 participants with 264 cricket teams, 150 volleyball teams, 214 tug-of-war teams, 119 wrestling squads and over 1,000 track and field athletes.

The cash prize has been the biggest motivator, awarding Rs 1.5 lakh for the winning teams and Rs 5 lakh for the overall champion.

In the previous financial year, Nuh's only government-run drug rehabilitation centre saw 493 people turn up for treatment, of whom 57 needed admission. In the first quarter this year, (Apr-July), patients who turned up had already touched 302 while admissions rose to 85.

"A youngster who wants to experiment can get drugs within minutes," Imran, sarpanch of Firozpur Namak, told TOI. "This is why it's dangerous. If they're busy with sports, they don't even get a chance."

Khelo Mewat solves problems
The first edition of Khelo Mewat was lunched by the Nuh administration on April 3 as a three-month competition that would act as a mass distraction for the youth.

There was a special outreach for families and many of the Khelo Mewat matches were organised in 60 villages in the Punahana and Ferozepur Jhirka blocks, identified as cybercrime hotspots to which cybercrimes have been traced from across states, including fake parcels and electricity disconnection threats to investment frauds and digital arrests.

The problem rose during the pandemic. In 2023, Haryana police launched ground operations targeted at this network with raids at more than a dozen villages based on analysis of mobile tower data dumps. Cyber fraudsters from here were linked to 28,000 cybercrime complaints and 1,346 FIRs filed across India.

The large amount of money made through these methods lured more youth to join in. "They pick up laptops and begin working within days. If that intelligence doesn't have the right path, it will go wrong. In Nuh, it was going wrong at a very fast pace," district sports officer Manoj Kumar told TOI.

This cash was used for drugs and a flashy lifestyle.

"Drug use is more prevalent in interior areas because youths have nothing to do. In the evenings, they gather in deserted grounds to smoke up. Nuh has the highest drug rate in Haryana," Kumar said.

"Khelo Mewat gives us a double benefit. On one hand, youngsters become physically fit, and on the other, they stay away from crime and drugs. If some of them go on to bring medals for the country, Mewat's name will shine.," he added.

Youth drawn in
The first edition of Khelo Mewat saw maximum participation from Punahana (1,528 players), followed by Indri (1,480) and Nagina (1,419). In total, 325 panchayats and 59 ward teams competed across 18 events.

Rashid, a 19-year-old from Nagina, told TOI, "I had a cousin who showed me how easy it was to make money online a year ago. I tried it for a few weeks and made Rs 15,000, but I was scared all the time. When Khelo Mewat started, my friends pushed me into playing volleyball. Now, every evening I'm on court. My parents proudly introduce me to neighbours not as someone sitting with a laptop but an athlete."

A 17-year-old boy, who was addicted to smoking, lost interest in studies and eventually dropped out of school. "I used to sit with older boys in the evening and smoke. It felt normal. In April, the village team came looking for a fast bowler, and my name was put forward. Cricket became my escape. Now, I don't even think about smoking. My mother says I've become a different person," he said.

"When youngsters know that winning a match can bring not just medals but also cash prizes for their team, the motivation changes completely. Suddenly, every child wants to play and every village wants to win. This is how we hope to turn competition into community progress," said Nuh additional deputy commissioner Pradeep Malik, adding that Khelo Mewat has become a topic of conversation among villagers.

Kumar, the sports officer, added, "Sports is another name for discipline. Our youth are talented and strong. Our job is to guide them on the right path."

Even though this is only the first season, early results are evident.

Forty volleyball courts have been built in villages of Mewat, the region that comprises areas both in Haryana and Rajasthan. A boxing shed has been established in Nagina, and a new stadium has been planned in Singar. The Nuh administration is keen to build cricket pitches, basketball courts and kho-kho grounds.

"Mewat does not lack talent," said Chaudhari Shaukat, leader of 22 villages in Siroli. "Now, we want to focus on education and sports. We will show Haryana what Mewat can achieve."

Rahim Ahmed, captain of the winning cricket team from Punahana said, "We've been practising on uneven grounds with little or no equipment but were determined. Khelo Mewat gave us a platform to showcase our talent. Going to the finals feels like a dream. We want to make Punahana proud," he said.