Hazaribagh, Feb. 10: In a bid to improve its “image” among villagers, which got a beating after the Asanchua killings, the banned outfit has decided to use the rod to teach its recalcitrant men a lesson.

MCC top leaders yesterday convened a jan adalat and thrashed the activists who were responsible for the killing of six villagers in Asanchua in Chauparan. Sources said the jan adalat was convened at Dinara, about 86 km from here, a border area of Hazaribagh and Gaya, in which two zonal commanders and four sub-zonal commanders, besides 300 peopleparticipated.

Sources added that after the Asanchua killings on September 20 last year, villagers had begun to keep a distance from the MCC.

According to sources, this gave an opportunity for the police to win back the confidence of the people. The MCC and the like-minded groups at the Calcutta conclave decided to penalise the activists who were responsible for the Asanchua incident.

The meeting, which went for three hours, held seven persons responsible for the killing of villagers, who had gone to the forest to collect woods. Sources said when the activists were asked to offer explanations for the killings, they said it was a case of mistaken identity. Sources said that the purpose behind convening the jan adalat was to send a message that in the MCC court everyone was equal and whoever commits a mistake will be penalised.

Sources added that after the Asanchua incident the influence of the MCC in Chauparan, Itkhori and Chatra areas was on the decline. Seven MCC activists were arrested at Chauparan and Chatra, which forced the think-tank to penalise the activists.