Balangir: A groom allegedly fled with his girlfriend hours before his wedding at Kandabahali village under Kantabanji police limits in Odisha’s Balangir district on Wednesday.
According to sources, the groom, Nilachal Chhatria of Salepada Nuapada village under Muribahal block, was scheduled to marry the daughter of Pabitra Banchor at Kandabahali. As per the fixed auspicious time, the bride’s family had completed all arrangements and was eagerly awaiting the arrival of the wedding procession. Nilanchal’s barati was scheduled to reach Kandhabahal village at around 11 am. However, neither he nor anyone of his family or friends reached the bride’s village. After waiting for about two hours, the bride’s father called Nilanchal’s father, who informed that he had eloped with another girl, abandoning the wedding plans altogether.
To confirm the happenings, the bride’s father along with some of his family members and villagers also went to Nilanchal’s village.
The sudden twist not only disrupted the celebrations but also caused immense embarrassment and distress to the bride’s family, who had invested heavily in the preparations, Local residents reported scenes of chaos as word spread about the groom’s disappearance.
Deeply shaken by the incident, the bride’s family has lodged a police complaint and has sought full reimbursement of their Rs 5 lakh expenditure from the groom’s side. “We had purchased a bike as per the groom’s choice. We gave gold and cash as gifts for the wedding. I have requested the police to ensure that the groom’s family reimburses all the expenses we incurred. We had no idea he was already in a relationship. Had we known about his girlfriend, we would never have consented to the marriage or spent such a large sum of money,” Banchor told the media.
Police have registered a case and are investigating the sudden disappearance of the groom.
