Refusing to Bow to Dowry Demand, Bride Rejects Drunk Groom; Baraat Returns Empty-Handed

Agra: Infuriated after the groom arrived heavily intoxicated and demanded a Bullet motorcycle as dowry, a 20-year-old bride refused to go ahead with the wedding rituals and sent the wedding procession (baraat) back empty-handed in Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar district.The incident took place on Tuesday morning in Tanda Majra village, under Budhana police station. According to the bride’s family, the marriage of Karishma Singh had been fixed with Shivam Kumar (25), a resident of Dungarpur village who runs a clothing business.The trouble began when the bride’s family went out to welcome the baraat. They alleged that the groom was so heavily under the influence of alcohol that he was unable to stand firmly.

Members of the groom’s family also demanded a Bullet motorcycle before allowing the wedding rituals to commence, the bride’s family alleged.Disgusted, Karishma chose to call off the wedding. Following her refusal, members of the groom’s family created a ruckus and physically assaulted the bride’s father before leaving the venue.“I want to tell every family that no daughter should be married to a man who arrives at his own wedding drunk,” Karishma said, standing firm on her decision.

The incident created tension between the two sides before village elders intervened to pacify the situation. The bride’s father, Shardhamal, later approached the police and lodged a complaint at Budhana police station.“He (the groom) was not in his senses. How could we send our daughter with someone in such a condition?” Shardhamal alleged.The bride’s father, who works as a daily wage labourer, said he suffered a financial blow. He claimed that they had spent approximately ₹7 lakh preparing for the wedding, exhausting ₹1–2 lakh of their personal savings and borrowing another ₹4–5 lakh. “I work as a daily wager and was supposed to return to work at the brick kiln after the wedding. Now, our savings are gone, and we are heavily burdened with debt,” he said.Budhana circle officer Gajenderpal Singh confirmed that the matter is being probed. “The dowry allegations are also being probed,” he said.