High drama at UP wedding: Bride elopes with lover after Varmala ceremony in Unnao; groom returns home without bride

KANPUR: A wedding in Unnao turned chaotic on Saturday night when the bride allegedly eloped with her lover shortly after the varmala ceremony, police said on Monday.The incident took place on Saturday night in a village in the Purwa area of Unnao, police said.According to police, the wedding procession had reached Ajaypur village, where the two families completed traditional rituals, including the ‘dwarachar.’ The bride and groom then exchanged garlands on stage during the varmala ceremony before the bride allegedly ran away with her loverSoon after, the bride went to her room while the groom's family got busy with other preparations. Later, when the family members went to call her for the phera ceremony, they found the woman missing.Police said that upon learning the bride had fled with a local youth, her father called the man. During the call, the bride spoke directly and expressed her desire to marry her lover and live with him.Shocked by the turn of events, the two families had a heated exchange before the groom's side returned home without a bride, an eyewitness said.The bride's father has lodged a complaint against the youth at the Purwa police station. A probe is on in the matter and action will be taken as per law, a senior police officer told PTI.(With agnecy inputs)