'Thought my daughter would never get married': Police arrange girl’s wedding after gangsters kill her brother; Gonda SP, wife gift Rs 1.51 lakh, gold, silver

LUCKNOW: In the small village of Dhannipurwa, once darkened by tragedy, the light of joy returned as wedding songs echoed again — not because sorrow was forgotten, but because courage and compassion won.Just over a month ago, 28-year-old Shiv Deen was shot dead by members of the dreaded Pasi gang while trying to stop them from stealing wedding items meant for his sister Uday Kumari's big day. His death shattered the family. The wedding was postponed and hopes seemed lost. But help came not from relatives — it came in uniform.The groom, Pradeep Kumar, son of Ramsurat Kumar and resident of Khadoura village under Sisai post, Tarabganj police station in Gonda, works in a metal factory in Delhi that manufactures tools like wrenches, pliers and screwdrivers. He was home for the past two months and also supported his family with a small plot of farmland.Taking a deeply human approach, Gonda SP Vineet Jaiswal launched a crackdown: four accused were arrested, while Sonu Pasi and Gyanchandra Pasi, who had a reward of Rs 1 lakh on them, were gunned down in separate encounters by Gonda police and the STF. Then, the police did something extraordinary — they became family.Under the direction of STF chief Amitabh Yash and with support from the state women's commission, Gonda police took responsibility for Uday Kumari's wedding. Officers arranged the venue, welcomed guests, and even stood as the bride's ‘maayka'. Jaiswal and his wife, Tanvi visited the family, gifting Rs 1.51 lakh in cash, gold and silver jewellery, and household items — not just as officials, but as guardians. "I thought my daughter would never get married. Today, it feels like God came in the form of these officers," said Uday Kumari's mother, Shakuntala Devi.