A couple’s special day turned into a nightmare when the bride, all dressed up in her wedding fineries for the rituals, was dragged out by her mother, brother, and cousins as she screamed and screeched and fought to resist the attempted kidnapping.
The dramatic event was caught on camera and showed several people at the venue trying to stop the bride’s family from dragging her out. In the video, the bride, in a yellow saree for one of the wedding rituals, is dragged by her relatives as the groom’s family tries to intervene. Soon, a man throws some red powder, later found to be ground chilli, on those resisting them. The bride kicks and screams as she is dragged across the room. One of the men is seen leaping on her to hold her back as they fall to the ground. Then another man pulls the woman across the floor by her hand as she cries and yells.
The incident took place in Kadiam in Andhra Pradesh’s East Godavari district.
Gangavaram Sneha and Battina Venkatanandu met while pursuing a diploma in veterinary sciences at a college in the state’s Narasaraopet district. They became friends, fell in love, and married on April 13 at Vijayawada’s famous Durga temple.
After the wedding, they went to Mr Venkatanandu’s home and his family’s elders decided to arrange a formal ceremony on April 21. Ms Sneha’s family was also informed and invited.
While arrangements were underway at the venue, Ms Sneha’s mother and other relatives – identified as Padmavati, Charan Kumar, Chandu, and Nakka Bharat, barged in, attacked the people around with chili powder and tried to kidnap and take their daughter away.
The groom, his family, and his friends resisted and thwarted the kidnap attempt.
One of the groom’s relatives, Veerababu, reportedly has been seriously injured in the struggle and had to be admitted to the Rajamahendravaram Government Hospital.
His family filed cases of criminal assault, attempt to kidnap, and gold theft, said Kadiam Circle inspector B Thulasidhar.
Speaking about the incident, Ms Sneha said, “My mother, my brother, and cousins came and threw chilli powder on people around to try and kidnap me.”
It is still unknown why the bride’s family was opposed to the marriage.
