A wedding ceremony in Islamnagar, Uttarakhand, turned into a tragedy when the bride's father died of a heart attack following a dispute over dowry and the 'mehr' amount.
Angry relatives of the bride, joined by locals, held the groom and several wedding guests hostage and assaulted them, prompting authorities to intervene and deploy a heavy police force.
According to a PTI report, the dispute arose during the solemnisation of the nikah over the mehr amount and alleged dowry demands, with the bride's family alleging that the groom's side had been making demands for additional dowry since the marriage was finalised.
The bride's family insisted on fixing the mehr sum at ₹5 lakh, whereas the groom's side refused to go beyond ₹21,000, leading to a sharp disagreement.
Police officials said that witnesses told them that despite discussions and attempts at mediation, the impasse could not be resolved, and the bride's father's health deteriorated suddenly, leading to a fatal cardiac arrest.
Relatives claimed that the severe mental stress caused by the altercation triggered the fatal cardiac arrest.
Police officials said that statements from both sides are being recorded and further action will be taken based on the available facts.
