Rajan recounts the incident. Picture by Sanjoy Chattopadhyaya

Calcutta, April 30: For 25-year-old Rajan Pandey, memories of his only sister's wedding will be scarred with horror forever.

Rajan, a third-year BCom student, and his relatives were beaten up by a group of vandals who raided the marriage hall today, a day after the wedding.

With seven stitches on his head, a shaken Rajan recounted the incident, sitting at his house in Salkia under Golabari police station in Howrah .

'We had rented a house under Malipanchghara police station for my sister's wedding that took place yesterday. As she was about to leave for her in-laws' place around 8 this morning, a youth unknown to us tried to snatch her gold necklace and another one picked the wallet of my brother-in-law,' Rajan said.

The wallet, he added, had around Rs 8,000.

When Rajan and some of his relatives caught the duo, a scuffle ensued. 'Suddenly, a crowd gathered and started showering us with blows. They beat us with iron rods and bamboo sticks. My father fell on the ground and I lay on him to shield him. They beat up around 15 of my relatives, including some women. Six of us were severely injured. Three of us were released after treatment and three others, including my father, have been admitted to Howrah State General Hospital,' he said.

Rajan rushed to the office of the Howrah superintendent of police and lodged a complaint with additional SP (town) Laxmi Singh. 'We have launched an investigation,' said Singh.

The Pandeys spent all day holed up in their house, fearing more attacks. They were thankful that the groom's family was spared. 'It would have been shameful for our family if any of them had been targeted,' Rajan said.