Odisha: Woman stages dharna near groom’s house in bridal attire

PTI, Nov 24, 2021, 8:11 AM IST

Representative Image

Berhampur: A 25-year old woman sat in dharna in her bridal finery for the second consecutive day on Tuesday in front of her groom’s house at Bramha Nagar here, after the man did not turn up for their wedding, the police said. The wedding was scheduled to be held on Monday.

The police has clamped section 107 Cr PC in the area to maintain peace in the area and the executive magistrate, Berhampur issued summons to her to appear before his court at 4.30 pm. But the woman did not do so till 6 PM when the reports last came in, sources said.

The bride, who is the daughter of a retired police officer, said she, her family members, and the invitees had waited for the groom at the venue for the wedding on Monday. As he failed to turn up, she along with others tried to enter his house at Bramha Nagar. But his parents kept the door firmly closed. The woman along with a social activist, Pramila Tripathy then sat on the dharna.

The woman said she will continue the dharna till the matter was solved. She claimed that their marriage was registered in a city court on September 7, 2020, without the knowledge of the groom’s parents.

”I was here to counsel her and try to solve the matter,” Tripathy said.

The woman claimed that the marriage was registered at a court in Bhubaneswar on September 7, 2020, without the knowledge of the groom’s parents. The groom, a doctor by profession, had tried to convince his parents but they refused to accept her. She alleged that her in-laws tortured her and she had lodged an FIR at the Mahila police station here.

The date for solemnizing the wedding as per Hindu rituals was fixed for Monday after the two families met and discussed the situation, but the groom failed to turn up, she said. The police said the woman’s complaint is pending at the Mahila police station. ”As the case is in the court, we will act according to the direction of the court” said a police officer.

Inspector in-charge, Baidyanathpur police station, Ram Kumar Murmu said the force personnel have been deployed at the dharna site. He said section 107 Cr PC (security for keeping peace) has been imposed at the direction of the executive magistrate.

Neither the groom nor his family members could be contacted for their comments as they kept the door of the house tightly shut.