Agarwaltimes - Groom runs away, family pays price

BAREILLY: Getting cold feet before your wedding might prove to be quite costly! A groom's family from Bareilly found this out the hard way when he fled just before the ceremony was due to take place on Friday. 

On being informed that the groom had taken off, the bride's relatives asked his parents to bring his older brother. The baraat turned up at 1am and the baratis were given a welcome feast, but the bride's relatives called up police in the meanwhile, alleging that they had been duped. 

It was only when both parties were taken to the police station that the bride's side admitted that they wanted all the money spent on the ceremony back and had thus, 'welcomed' the barat. The matter was resolved after the groom's side agreed to pay all the expenses incurred by the bride's family for the wedding. The groom's family went back sans the bride. 

As per reports, 23-year-old Vedpal decided on the day of the wedding that he was not quite ready to tie the know and fled from his home. When the baraat did not turn up till 10pm, the bride's relatives contacted the groom's family and were informed about the situation. 

The bride's relatives then asked them to get along 25-year-old Rajpal, also a bachelor, as the new groom, said Rajesh Yadav, station officer (SO), Beelsanda police station. 

The baraat with Rajpal as the groom reached the village in Pilibhit at around 1am and the bride's side welcomed them with a splendid feast. However, just before the rituals were to start, the girl's relatives called up police saying that the groom has been changed and this has led to a brawl at the ceremony. 

The SO said no such thing had happened. "When we took both parties to police station for interrogation, we learnt that the girl's family did not wish to get her married to Rajpal. They thought that they will not be able to get their belongings and amount incurred on the ceremony back as groom had fled. Hence, they hatched this plot to get refund of their expenditure." 

The police then asked both parties to reach a settlement, after which the groom's side gave Rs 1 lakh to the bride's relatives for expenses incurred for the wedding. The baraatis returned without the bride. 

Agarwaltimes