Dubai: After being harassed over dowry demands, family members of a bride in Lucknow tonsured the groom to be, his father and his brother, to teach them a lesson.
They are being praised on social media for their stand against the practice, which is illegal under Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code.
According to reports by Indian newspapers, the bride’s family filed a police complaint against the groom, for his increasing demands, five days before the wedding.
In a report by newspaper India Times, the groom wanted a motorcycle, and when he was given one, he complained about the brand and demanded a bike of his choice. When the family obliged, the groom asked for a gold chain.
According to the news report, the family of the bride took the groom and members of his family to a park where they shaved their heads.
India Times reported that members of the boy’s family were intoxicated and misbehaved. The groom apparently refused to marry the girl if his demands weren’t met.
On social media, pictures of the groom and his shaved head quickly went viral and many tweeps praised the bride and her relatives for their “courage”.
Tweep @k1312reddy posted: “This is the best way to punish the greedy grooms who have no morale and in fact, they need severe punishment…Blacken his face and ride him on a donkey!”
And @KSVUBRAMANIAN said: “Very good work… well done.”
While @Nairs20 posted: “... whoever demands dowry must be punished. As of now, with the changed law, a female is an equal shareholder of parents’ property unlike earlier when her share used to be given as dowry.”
@koshur_abdullah replied to @Nairs20’s comment and said: “A girl’s father may gift his daughter as per his economic conditions but the groom can neither demand nor has any rights over it. For a Nikah, the groom has to pay essentially mehr, which again becomes the bride’s right, and the groom can’t ask for it.....”
Many encouraged more people to be like the bride’s family and felt that the groom got what he deserved.
