Woman Alleges Relationship with Groom, Tries to Halt Wedding; Police Intervene

A tense and dramatic scene unfolded late Friday during a wedding ceremony in Patwadh Kautuk slum, under the Bilriyaganj police station area of Azamgarh, after a woman arrived at the venue accompanied by police officers, alleging she had been in a long-standing relationship with the groom and insisting that the marriage be halted immediately. However, by the time the police reached the spot, the rituals had already been completed, and both the bride and groom had reportedly fled the scene, leaving stunned guests amid the unfolding commotion. The dispute escalated when some members of the wedding party began pelting stones at police personnel. The officers managed to escort the complainant woman out of the venue and informed the Bilriyaganj police about the incident. Azamgarh CO (Sagadi) Anil Kumar Verma on Saturday said that five people were taken into custody from the wedding venue. The action followed a complaint from a woman who had approached police seeking help to stop the wedding. He added that further action will depend on the findings of the ongoing investigation. During the preliminary police investigation, it emerged that the woman, a resident of Patwadh Kautuk, was engaged to Brijesh Kumar, a native of Gadhwal village, who is employed abroad. The wedding procession arrived at the bride’s residence on Friday evening, and amid festive celebrations and feasting, the marriage rituals commenced. The celebratory atmosphere, however, soon descended into chaos when another woman from a village under the Raunapar police station limits arrived at the venue, accompanied by police personnel. She alleged that the groom had been in a long-term relationship with her and had promised to marry her. Her claims triggered a heated confrontation between the woman and members of both the bride’s and groom’s families, turning the joyous occasion into a scene of high drama. The bride’s family stated that all wedding rituals had already been completed. They said the marriage had been fixed 1.5 years ago and the couple had also registered a court marriage. The ceremony was organized now because the groom had returned home on leave. They further told police that the same woman had come to their house three days earlier and left after threatening to stop the wedding. Although the groom’s side was informed about this, they had assured the bride’s family that there would be no issue.