Chhapra, Feb. 6: A demand for dowry was thwarted and a marriage solemnised today by the timely action of police and Jagdam College principal Pramendra Ranjan.
The wedding ceremony of Benagalipatti resident Neha, 19, and Koreya village resident Rakesh, 25, was conducted today at Dharmanth Mandir. Rakesh works with a construction giant and is posted in Chennai.
The nuptials were originally scheduled for February 3. However, Rakesh’s father, Jang Bahadur Singh — a night watchman at Jagdam College — refused to take the baraat (marriage procession) to Benagalipatti because the bride’s family had not satisfied his alleged demand for Rs 1 lakh as dowry. Sources said Singh had allegedly demanded Rs 5 lakh.
Singh was arrested on February 4 after Neha’s family lodged a complaint at Banaipur police station. Raghunath Prasad, the in-charge of the police station, said: “Singh was presented in court today and was forwarded to Chhapra jail.”
Meena Devi, Neha’s mother, told The Telegraph: “On January 28, when the tilak ceremony was performed, we gave Rakesh’s father a motorbike, a laptop, a television, a refrigerator, a steel almirah and utensils worth Rs 32,000, along with Rs 4 lakh. We told him that we would pay the remaining Rs 1 lakh on the day of the wedding. But we were unable to arrange the money, and my son, Tuntun, went to his house on February 3 with Rs 60,000. Singh refused to accept the money.”
Neha’s father, Parmar Singh, is a farmer.
When the baraat did not arrive, Neha’s family lodged a police complaint and also informed the Jagdam College principal. Ranjan said: “I tried to reason with Singh but he was adamant. I warned him that the college would initiate dis-ciplinary action if the accusations against him were proved. The cops, thankfully, took timely action.”
Asked why he had not turned up for the scheduled wedding ceremony, Rakesh claimed that he had fallen ill on the morning of February 3 and had to be admitted to Chhapra Sadar Hospital. “I was unconscious and was taken to Patna. When I woke up, I heard of what had transpired and felt very sad,” he said. Rakesh added that he had some heart ailment, but could not give the details.
Neha said she was happy that her marriage had been solemnised.
