Indian police have reported that 42 men who had travelled to Dewas city in the state of Madhya Pradesh to attend a group wedding ceremony were left waiting for hours before realizing they had fallen victim to an organized scam.
According to police officials, the organizers of the event had gained the families’ trust by sending images of women via WhatsApp and setting a time and venue for the ceremony. They also promised that all wedding arrangements had already been made in advance.
On the morning of Sunday, May 24, 42 men from various regions of Madhya Pradesh, accompanied by their family members, arrived at the designated location near the Mata Tekri temple in Dewas. The organizers had told them that there was no need to prepare groom attire or follow the customary pre-wedding rituals.
Participants were informed that the brides would be transported from Indore to the ceremony site. However, after several hours passed with no sign of the brides, it became clear that the entire event was a fraudulent scheme.
Most of the victims in the case were men who had remained unmarried into older age, including individuals over 60 years old. Some had travelled to Dewas with their families in decorated wedding vehicles and had even arranged groom’s clothing and sweets for the occasion.
Police investigations revealed that the photographs presented as images of the brides had been collected from social media and used without the consent of their owners.
Following complaints from the families, police registered a case against four individuals. Three suspects have been arrested so far, and efforts are ongoing to identify and apprehend the remaining accused.
Indian police have described the case as one of the most unusual and rare instances of wedding-related fraud in recent years.
Writer:Salima Aryaei
