A wedding turned into a tragedy for the bride’s family in the Islam Nagar area of Khatama town Uttarakhand when her father died of a heart attack after a dispute over dowry and the amount of ‘dowry’.
The bride’s angry relatives, joined by local residents, took the groom and a number of wedding guests hostage and assaulted them. The authorities were forced to intervene and deploy a heavy police force to prevent further unrest.
As soon as information was received about the clash, Khatma Kotwali police forces reached the spot and took control of the situation.
Police said the incident is under investigation.
Security measures have been tightened in the area, with additional forces deployed to maintain law and order.
Heart attack at the wedding
According to a PTI report, the police said that the wedding procession of the daughter of a local contractor, identified as Sadiq, arrived at the wedding hall of Khushboo from Bara Faridpur in Uttar Pradesh Bareilly. The bride’s family is based in Islamnagar.
The report also stated that while the initial reception went smoothly, a heated dispute arose between the two sides during the nikah ceremony over the dowry amount and alleged dowry demands.
The bride’s family claimed that the groom’s side had been demanding additional dowry since the marriage was consummated. They claimed that the demands escalated from motorcycle to motorcycle, and finally to $1 for you in cash.
Moreover, the dispute extended to the dowry, which is an obligatory marriage gift given by the groom to the bride in Islamic tradition. The bride’s family insisted on setting the amount at $5 lakh while the groom’s side refused to go beyond that $21000.
Police officials said witnesses told them that despite discussions and attempts at mediation, the impasse could not be resolved.
Amid escalating tensions, the health of the bride’s father, Sadiq, suddenly deteriorated. Police said his family took him to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
Relatives claimed that the intense psychological pressure resulting from the quarrel led to the fatal cardiac arrest.
The hype
As news of the death reached the scene, anger erupted among the bride’s family and local residents.
The angry crowd arrested the groom, Mohammed Arif, his brother, Mohammed Khaled, and his brother-in-law, Atta Hussein, along with a number of other guests inside the marriage hall. Some members of the wedding party were also allegedly assaulted.
Several wedding guests attempted to escape through the roof of a nearby house to escape the violence. The agency report stated that during the stampede, part of the ceiling collapsed, injuring a few people.
Police officials said that the statements of both sides are being recorded and further action will be taken based on the available facts.
