India: Bride drugs family, runs away with valuables
Family also on the lookout for the matchmaker
Badaun, Uttar Pradesh: A new bride drugged and fled from her in-laws' home with cash and ornaments.
The incident happened in the Chota Para area in the Badaun district on Friday night.
When the family woke up the following morning, they found the bride missing along with the cash and valuables.
Superintendent of Police (City) Jitendra Kumar Srivastava said that according to the complaint lodged by the family Pravin and Ria got married on December 9 and the woman belonged to Azamgarh.
The SP said that the bride fled with Rs70,000 (Dh3,637) in cash and ornaments worth Rs300,000.
He said the investigation is on and further action will be taken.
The police are now looking for Tinku, the matchmaker. He is apparently also on the lam.
The groom's father, Ram Ladete, said: "We had spent Rs4 lakh [Rs400,000] in the marriage of Praveen. The marriage was solemnised in Azamgarh and Tinku, the middleman, had taken the money just before the marriage, claiming that the bride's family will prepare jewellery with it for their daughter as they are very poor."
Praveen, meanwhile, said: "I never thought that my wife would cheat me like this. My entire family is embarrassed in the village and we have suffered financially as well. I want her arrested."