Middle-Aged Groom’s Dream Shattered, Lands in Police Station Instead of Wedding Pavilion

Ganpat Singh Chouhan

Araria, February 13 A middle-aged man from Haryana, who traveled to Bihar with dreams of taking his bride home, saw his aspirations come crashing down. Instead of a wedding procession, he found himself at the police station.

The unusual incident unfolded on Wednesday night at the Sundarnath Temple in Kursakanta, under the Kuari police station limits. The bride was from Padariya village in Sikti, and all pre-wedding rituals had been completed in her village. The groom, along with the bride in wedding attire, had arrived at Sundarnath Dham for the sindoor-daan ceremony when the dramatic twist occurred.

A Groom in Search of a Bride

Two men from Mahendragarh, Haryana, had arrived in Bihar’s Padariya village, Sikti block, about ten days ago, searching for a bride. They stayed in the village and, with the help of locals, identified a match. The groom, Rajeev Gupta, was introduced to Ritika, daughter of Baingu Manjhi, by ward member Vijay Sada.

The match was facilitated by the ward member, who assured Ritika’s mother, Tara Devi, that the groom was from a wealthy background and that all wedding expenses would be covered. A sum of ₹15,000 was also given to the bride’s father as part of the arrangement. The wedding preparations, including haldi and mehendi ceremonies, were conducted with great enthusiasm at the bride’s house.

Temple Authorities Intervene

When the time came for the wedding and sindoor-daan, the bride’s mother insisted that the ceremony be conducted at the Sundarnath Dham Temple. The groom’s family and the local community agreed. Accordingly, the bride’s parents, ward member Vijay Sada, the groom Rajeev Gupta, his brother-in-law Sunil Aggarwal, and other villagers reached the temple for the rituals.

However, the temple committee demanded identity proofs from both parties. While both sides provided their identification, the situation took a turn when two witnesses were required. Ward member Vijay Sada, who had played a key role in arranging the marriage, refused to provide his ID and abruptly left the temple premises. Sensing something suspicious, others from the groom’s side also began to withdraw.

With the situation escalating, the temple authorities alerted the Kuari police. The bride’s parents were held back for further inquiries, and the groom and his brother-in-law were summoned to the temple on Thursday morning. After questioning both sides, the wedding was called off, and the Haryana-based groom and his brother-in-law were handed over to the police.

Police Inquiry and Release

Kuari Police Station in-charge, Roshan Kumar Singh, confirmed that both the groom and his brother-in-law were brought to the station for interrogation. Preliminary investigations revealed that the bride’s parents had consented to the marriage without coercion. As there was no evidence of foul play, the two were released on a PR bond.

Bride Shortage in Haryana

Following the incident, Sunil Aggarwal, the groom’s brother-in-law, revealed the reason for seeking a bride in Bihar. “There is a severe shortage of brides in Haryana and Delhi, making timely marriages difficult. Some laborers from Padariya village work with us in Haryana, and they suggested that we could find a bride here. That’s how we came to Bihar and found a match. But after all the arrangements, the marriage was canceled, and we ended up at the police station instead,” he said.

The bizarre turn of events highlights the ongoing bride scarcity in states like Haryana due to skewed sex ratios and the practice of seeking brides from economically weaker regions. However, it also raises concerns about the ethical implications of such arranged marriages.

Author Profile

Ganpat Singh Chouhan: My name is Ganpat Singh Choughan. I am an experienced content writer with 7 years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including technology, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.