We have seen it happen in Tamil movies. A would-be bride/groom elopes on wedding day, leaving their prospective spouse waiting at the dias, and to save face, the runaway person's family decides to get another member person of their family married off to the jilted person.

A similar incident occurred in Odisha, India, recently, but there's a not-so happy ending to this saga - police had to come in to rescue the minor girl who was forced to become a sudden bride at the dias, as child marriage is prohibited in India.

According to reports, the incident unfolded last Tuesday evening at the Kalahandi district, when the would-be-bride eloped with her boyfriend just minutes before the wedding ceremony, leaving the groom waiting.

Humiliated by the incident, the bride's family offered the woman's 15-year younger sister for marriage with the 26-year-old groom.

Hearing the news, district administration officials reached the groom's house and took away the girl, who's preparing to sit for her Class 10 examination.

According to reports, neither the bride's nor the groom's families were aware of the fact that child marriage is illegal.

The girl's father told the authorities that he agreed to arrange for her marriage due to peer pressure.

The authorities did not register case against both the families, and arranged for counselling sessions for them. They also told the girl to appear for her examination, and told her family not to solemnise her marriage before she attains the marriageable age of 18 years.


Source: New Indian Express, ndtv.com
Photo source: dnaindia.com