Siliguri, 04th July: Even though the dowry has been illegal in India since 1961, it is still prevalent. In one such bizarre incident, a groom in Siliguri ran away a day before the wedding as he did not get the required dowry.
Reportedly, five months ago, the marriage of a Toto driver’s daughter Payal (name changed), resident of Mahakal Pally of Ward No. 44 of Siliguri, was arranged with Nimai Ghosh, resident of Chayan Para. The couple had legally registered their marriage a month ago. Following this, the bride’s family started preparing for the wedding.
On Saturday evening, just a day before the wedding, the groom’s family called the bride’s family and informed them that the wedding has been called off as the groom did not wish to get married.
It has been alleged that the marriage had been fixed five months ago and the groom, Nimai Ghosh, and his family were demanding dowry. The bride’s family reached their in-laws’ house in Chayan Para and found it to be locked. The neighbours maintained that the family fled away just a day before the wedding. Meanwhile, a complaint has been lodged against the groom and his family at the police station.
Dowry Prohibition Act of Indian law was enacted on May 01, 1961, intended to prevent the giving or receiving of a dowry. Under the Dowry Prohibition Act, dowry includes property, goods, or money given by either party to the marriage, by the parents of either party or by anyone else in connection with the marriage. The law has been a disappointment to date as people are still practising the dowry system.