Cuttack: The Choudwar circle jail near Cuttack witnessed a unique event on Thursday when a 24-year-old under trial prisoner wedded his 18-year-old girlfriend, whom he had abandoned earlier, right within the confines of the prison walls.
The solemnisation of the wedding with all Vedic rituals was followed by cutting and distribution of cakes among the jail staff, fellow inmates and family/relatives of the bride and the groom in the presence of senior jail officials. Volunteers from a non-profit who had facilitated the union were also present during the occasion.
Later, guests and relatives were served with sumptuous meals in the marriage reception which was jointly thrown by the bride and grooms and families.
The spectacular event was the culmination of a turbulent affair between the man and the girl which was marked by betrayal and the resultant revenge.
As per reports, the 24 year old man is a resident of Bharungabadi village in Cuttack district under Gurudijhatia police station.
Some years ago, he got into an intimate relationship with the girl, a minor then. Later when the girl became pregnant the man allegedly refused to marry her and abandoned her, reports said.
He was arrested by the police in November last year after the girl’s family lodged an FIR against him. He was later forwarded to the Choudwar jail.
Meanwhile, the helpless girl gave birth to a baby boy.
Matters took a sudden turn when earlier this month the man, during his appearance in a POCSO court, expressed his willingness to marry the girl and take responsibilities of his 3 month old son.
Sanatana Chataara, the father of the girl, said, “I sought justice from the Sarpanch in the village after the man refused to marry my daughter when she became pregnant. When I ran out of options, I sought help from police,” he said.
Benjamin Singh, father of the man, said, “We did not know much about their relationship but he did some serious mistakes. The law of the land caught him up. We respect law. But now that he has married her we accept her as our daughter-in-law.”
Interestingly, following the marriage while the man was sent back to his prison cell, the girl (and her son) accompanied her in-laws to the latter’s house.