Bride elopes with lover moments before pheras in Uttar Pradesh village

A wedding in Uttar Pradesh’s Unnao took a dramatic turn when a bride fled with her lover moments before the pheras. After completing the varmala, she disappeared from her room, leaving both families shocked. A police complaint has been filed

Unnao (UP): The ‘baraat’ was received at the door with band and ‘baaja’, and the bride and groom exchanged garlands. All seemed well and on track to a happily ever after. Until the time came for the ‘pheras’ and the families found to their utter shock, the bride had run away with her lover!

The drama, straight out of a film script, centred on a feisty woman asserting herself, took place on Saturday night in a village in Uttar Pradesh’s Unnao district. Recapping the developments of the extraordinary evening when the young woman decided she was better off as the runaway bride exercising choice, police officials said the wedding procession arrived at Ajaypur village right on schedule.

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The two families completed the traditional dwarachar and other rituals. The bride and groom then performed the varmala ritual. Soon after, the bride went to her room while the groom’s family got busy with other preparations.

Some time later, the family went to her room to escort her for the ‘pheras’, the seven rounds around a fire that would solemnise the wedding. But the room was empty.

The lady had fled. The two families learnt a little later that she had eloped with a young man from the village. The hapless father spoke to his daughter over the phone, and she told him her wishlist for life – she wanted to marry her lover and live with him.

Shocked by the turn of events, the two families had a heated exchange. Finally, the groom’s side returned home. Without a bride. The bride’s father has complained about 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.