Uttar Pradesh is often in the headlines for unusual incidents, and a recent wedding mishap in Bareilly district has added to the list. A groom was arrested after a chaotic wedding scene, which ended with the bride calling off the marriage, in which family already spent Rs 10 lakh on it.
The incident took place in Naughwa Bhagwantpur village, where 26-year-old Ravindra Kumar, the groom, arrived late at the wedding venue, keeping the bride’s family and guests waiting. Upon his arrival, instead of proceeding with the rituals, Kumar started drinking with his friends, causing further delays.
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Around 500 guests watched in shock as the groom’s antics unfolded. When the time came for the traditional garland-exchanging ceremony, Kumar mistakenly placed the garland around the wrong woman. Realising his blunder, he then removed it and, in another shocking move, placed it around a male guest’s neck.
This was the final straw for 21-year-old bride Radha Devi. Furious, she slapped the drunk groom and walked out of the wedding venue, calling off the marriage.
The bride’s family, who had spent over Rs 10 lakh on the wedding preparations, was left outraged. Her brother, Omkar Verma, suspected that the groom’s family was unhappy with the dowry gifts and may have staged the scene to humiliate them.
"They were unhappy with the dowry gifts. Maybe this was their way of insulting us," Verma told The Times of India. "And then we found out that he isn't even a farmer, as his family claimed—he's actually a truck driver."
A complaint was filed at the Kularia police station, and Kumar was arrested. By noon, he had apologised, and his family suggested the wedding should continue. However, Radha firmly refused to proceed with the marriage.