The city police might be stretched to their limits but that is not preventing them from wading into an uncommon territory, like arranging weddings of lovestruck couples facing family fury.

Recently, police helped a 21-year-old woman, a PUC student, marry the man she loved after her uncle was murdered by gangsters for supporting the relationship. The shocking bit in the story is that the girl’s mother gave supari for the murder of the man who was her own brother.

Gowramma, the mother of Shristi, was later arrested on charges of offering supari to eliminate her brother, Rajashekar. But not before she blessed the newlyweds, an act made possible by the city police. Rajashekhar supported Shristi’s marriage with Chandrashekar, a native of Nagamandala.

Enraged, Gowramma’s neighbour Mumtaz took the supari and carried out the murder using three labourers in the area.

“Rajashekar was murdered as he supported the wedding which Gowramma opposed,” police said.

After the murder, Kengeri police inspector Ramappa B Guthere had a task on his hands: helping the two get married as there was a death in the family.

After the murder, Kengeri police inspector Ramappa B Guthere had a task on his hands: helping the two get married as there was a death in the family.

Guthere was approached by Shristi’s relatives as they feared that she would be ostracised since her mother had got her own brother killed. 

Understanding the consequences, Guthere counselled Shristi’s fiance, Chandrashekar, and convinced him to marry her on the dates fixed earlier.

In a novel move, police also counselled Gowramma, who realised her mistake and showed some remorse over her terrible act. Once the breakthrough had been achieved, Gowramma, in a scene that is the stuff of Indian movies, was allowed to bless the couple following which she was arrested and sent to jail.

The reception and the wedding happened on June 23 and 24 respectively at a convention hall in Nagamangala taluk in Mandya district. 

“Our fear was that Shristi would not be accepted by Chandrashekhar’s family members after they got to know of Gowramma’s crime. But we were able to convince the family that it was not Shristi’s fault and that the family should accept her,” said Guthere.