Gopalganj: Two grooms from Rajasthan were allegedly cheated by a “bride scam” gang in Gopalganj, where the women they married fled within 24 hours of the wedding, taking cash, jewellery and wedding attire with them. Police have arrested one of the brides, while a search is underway for the second accused.
The victims, identified as Ankit Sharma and Prince Kumar, had travelled from Rajasthan to Bihar for their weddings, which were arranged through an agent. According to the complaint, both marriages were solemnised as per Hindu rituals, but the brides disappeared the very next evening, fleeing on motorcycles with the help of accomplices.
The grooms, still bearing mehendi on their hands, are now seeking justice, claiming that their life savings were lost in the well-planned scam.
Weddings fixed through agent, ₹5 lakh paid
Ankit Sharma’s brother Anurag Sharma said the marriages were arranged through a man named Sanjay Saini, who worked with Ankit in a private company. Saini allegedly told them that employed grooms from outside Bihar could easily find brides from poor families in the state.
As per the agreement, the family paid ₹5 lakh for both weddings, including around ₹3 lakh worth of jewellery. They were also asked to bear all wedding-related expenses such as hotel stay and food for guests. Trusting the agent, the family agreed to the arrangement.
Hasty arrangements in Gopalganj
The weddings were fixed in haste ahead of Holi. The family bought jewellery worth about ₹1 lakh, a lehenga costing ₹8,500, and sarees worth ₹11,000. They travelled from Jaipur on February 21 and reached Gopalganj on February 22, where men linked to the bride’s side took them to a hotel.
The marriages were held on February 23 at a local marriage hall. The groom’s family alleged that cash and jewellery were handed over to the bride’s side before the ceremonies were completed.
Brides fled during farewell
After the rituals, the couples returned to the hotel and prepared to leave for Rajasthan. The grooms said they were persuaded to let the brides keep wearing the jewellery and lehenga as part of local customs.
While heading towards the bus stop near the Chapra–Siwan highway, three men on motorcycles followed them. The e-rickshaw dropped them near a roadside eatery, claiming the bus stand was a short walk away. At that point, both brides suddenly got off the rickshaw, mounted the motorcycles and fled.
The grooms alleged that accomplices later threatened them with knives and sticks when they protested. Since then, they have been repeatedly approaching the police seeking action.
One bride arrested, police probe gang
Following the complaint, Gopalganj police registered a case and began an investigation. On Friday, one of the brides, Durgaavati alias Muskan, was arrested, while efforts are ongoing to trace the second woman, Khushbu.
Police recovered jewellery and other wedding items from the arrested woman. During interrogation, she revealed that she worked as an orchestra dancer in Barauli Bazaar and was drawn into the marriage on the promise of money. Police are now searching for a woman agent suspected to be the key organiser of the racket and are trying to identify others involved and trace the money trail.
Police officials said the case points to an organised interstate gang targeting unmarried men from outside Bihar under the guise of arranged marriages.
