An alarming event in one village in Aligarh has left the entire world in shock. Bride who had earlier demonstrated affection and love to their families were drugged by their in-laws on the Karva Chauth night and eloped with lakhs of rupees worth jewellery and cash. In one night twelve families lost their happiness. Even the agents who used to make these marriages are missing, and their phones are not turned on.
During the night women throughout India were praying to the long life of their husbands, there occurred an incidence in Aligarh which had shattered the pillars of trust and relationships. Twelve brides who were newly married in the same village carried out the traditional Karva Chauth rituals fasting, decorating house, applying mehndi, showing the moon with a sieve and aarti all to their husbands. However, they vanished after giving a presumably drug-contaminated dinner, stealing money and gold and other treasures of the families.
The case in point is shocking, and it is within the jurisdiction of the Sasni Gate police station, where four FIRs have been already registered. It has been referred to by police as an organised gang job. It is reported that all the brides were recruited by the agents who arranged their marriages in the families where women were significantly deficient. These brokers were supposed to have been paid ₹80,000 to ₹1.5 lakh each by the respective families.
Betrayal on the Night of Karva Chauth
The research found that the twelve brides had all worked hard to gain the trust of their families after getting married. Others accompanied their mothers-in-law to temples and others assisted their husbands in the fields. They were loving, respectful and honest. They broke the fast on Karva Chauth night and dressed up splendidly and performed all rituals. During the time of breaking fast, they prepared the dinner themselves- they added sedatives to the meal. The brides had packed their belongings and fled as soon as the members of the family fell unconscious. Before morning cupboards had been opened, lockers emptied and the newlyweds fled.
Agents Disappear, Leaving No Trace
A major role was played by the agents who organized these marriages. The majority of the wedding was arranged by a group of three to four brokers. They purported to be assisting poor yet cultured Bihar and Jharkhand girls to secure good homes. Families made calls to the agents when the brides disappeared, but their phones were switched off or picked up by strangers. It emerged rather quickly that this was not a mere coincidence and this was a racketed scheme.
₹30 Lakh Fraud Across 12 Families
Police inquiries have shown that the twelve eloped brides stole the value of more than ₹30 lakh in form of gold and silver jewellery, cash and mobile phones. They even stole dowry money in other instances. One of the victims added that they had just gotten married (in ten days). With Karva Chauth she acted so lovingly that we were all emotional. I believed that my fortune had changed, and in the morning I found all destroyed.
A different family claimed that the brides had been acting like they were of low origins to escape the issue. Even, in other instances, neighbours attended the weddings as guests that testifies to the amount of planning that was put into it.
Police Launch Statewide Hunt
Other victims came out after the first family had filed an FIR. Assistant Superintendent of Police Mayank Pathak affirmed that it was a well-planned gang that works within the state of Bihar, Jharkhand and Western Uttar Pradesh. There are four cases registered and several teams of police are working in search of the culprits. In Bihar and Jharkhand, police have made calls to a number of districts to trace the real identity of the women. The agents involved are also being gathered by taking photographs and documents.
How the “Runaway Bride” Racket Operates
Investigators claim that it is not a new scam. Young women in the poor areas are enticed by such gangs to false marriages. The women spend a couple of days with their husbands, gain the confidence of the family and escape with jewellery and money. The business flourishes in the areas, which have limited numbers of women to men, where poor or aged men are not able to acquire brides. Aligarh police believe that this gang was involved in similar cases in Hathras, Bulandshahr and Budaun. This most recent case however seems to be the largest one yet.
A Festival Turned into a Nightmare
It has become a bitter experience to the victims on the night of Karva Chauth that was originally supposed to be the night of love and devotion. The village streets continue to be full of the discussion of how the incident occurred so effortlessly that no one could have guessed anything. No fights, no caution of fighting, and all at once the brides had disappeared.
