'Bridal attack' leaves groom injured

The guests were enjoying dinner while the bride and groom had just completed one of the main rituals when the bride did something, stunning everybody and which led to the cancellation of the marriage.

Upon completion of the ritual, the bride, all of a sudden allegedly picked up the “sil-batta” (batan-a stone utensil) and hit the groom repeatedly with it, inflicting serious injuries. The batan had been kept there to be used during the ceremony.

The profusely bleeding groom was rushed to the nearby hospital, where his condition was stated to be stable. The incident occurred at Paraspur village, about 30 km from the capital on Tuesday.

According to the police, the bride, a resident of Baktauri village, was in love with someone and was being forced to get married with someone else. “She had told the groom as well as his family members about it and had asked them to cancel the wedding but they did not listen to her,” the sources said. The father of the bride admitted that he had “forced” the girl to agree to the marriage.

The residents in the village observe an unusual tradition in marriages. Instead of the groom reaching the house of the bride for marriage, it is the bride who comes to the groom’s house for performing the rituals. She returns home after the ceremony is over and the groom, a little later, goes to her house for “vidai” (taking the bride to his home).

Police said the two sides agreed to cancel the marriage and settle the expenses amicably. “Since no complaint was lodged by the parties concerned, we have decided not to take any action in the matter,” the officials added.