Groom freed on dowry return

Durgapur, March 12: Villagers tonight released the groom they had confined in a dowry protest initiated by the bride after the boy’s father repaid part of the money and agreed to return the rest and annul the marriage.

Sanjay Bagdi and his relatives were released at 10pm after his father Lichuram paid Rs 60,000 to the girl’s father with the promise that the remaining Rs 1.25 lakh would be returned within a month.

The girl had yesterday walked out of the marriage in protest against the dowry demand.

The father of the groom had been negotiating with the family, insisting that he had received a dowry of only Rs 35,000 but was willing to pay Rs 60,000 to secure his son’s release. The groom was released from the temple where he was held since 2am yesterday, and was confined in a room in the bride’s house.

Lichuram and his wife Namita had gone to the girl’s house this evening with Rs 60,000 but her father at first refused the money. “We will only accept the full amount of Rs 1.85 lakh. If we release the groom now, we will not get the rest,” he said.

Sanjoy’s elder brother Raj said they had not asked for a dowry of Rs 2 lakh as alleged by the bride’s family.

“We had demanded Rs 50,000 but received Rs 35,000 from the girl’s father on the day of ashirvad (a sort of engagement ceremony). The remaining Rs 15,000 was to have been paid on the wedding day. We have not refused to accept the girl so why should we return the money?” Raj said.

After arriving for the marriage at Patshaora village, Lichuram had allegedly demanded Rs 15,000. When the girl’s father, a farmer, expressed his inability to pay immediately, the visiting entourage from the groom’s side began to insult the bride’s family. The bride learnt what was happening only around 2am when the marriage rituals had got over. She rubbed off her sindoor and told the groom she was not accepting the marriage as she opposed dowry.

Amalendu Mondal, a neighbour of the girl’s family, said: “The way she revolted against dowry has made her a hero in the village. We feel proud of her. We want her to study and become independent.”

The girl, who wrote her Madhyamik examinations this year, also wants to continue to study so that she can one day start earning and help her father. “I want to study, become self-sufficient in life and help my father. I will never let my father pay dowry for my marriage,” she said.

The father said he would encourage her daughter to study and would never again press her for marriage.


The Telegraph