Bride elopes with lover after varmala ceremony in UP’s Unnao

A bride in Unnao allegedly fled with her lover shortly after exchanging garlands with the groom. The incident triggered arguments between the families, and the groom’s side left without the bride. A complaint has been filed and police have launched a probe.

Unnao: Commotion ensued at a wedding ceremony here when the bride allegedly eloped with her lover shortly after the varmala ritual, police said on Monday.

The incident took place on Saturday night in a village in the Purwa area of Unnao, police said.

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According to police, the wedding procession had arrived at Ajaypur village, where the two families completed the traditional ‘dwarachar’ and other rituals. The bride and groom then performed the varmala ritual (exchanging of garlands) on the stage.

Soon after, the bride went to her room while the groom’s family got busy with other preparations. Later, when the family members went to call her for the phera ceremony, they found the woman missing.

Police said, when the two families got to know that the woman had fled with a local youth, her father called the man on the phone. The bride spoke to him directly and conveyed that she wished to marry her lover and live with him.

Shocked by the turn of events, the two families had a heated exchange before the groom’s side returned home without a bride, an eyewitness said.

The bride’s father has lodged a complaint against the youth at the Purwa police station. A probe is on in the matter and action will be taken as per law, a senior police officer told PTI.