Jammu, August 23, 2025 : Police have busted an inter-state racket involved in staging fake marriages to extort money from unsuspecting grooms, arresting five persons including a woman from Uttar Pradesh, officials said on Saturday.
The arrests — described as a “major breakthrough” — came after a complaint was lodged at Akhnoor Police Station on August 11. The complainant, Rashpal Chand of Dori Dager, alleged that he was duped into paying ₹3 lakh by Deepak Kumar of Dhana Chapri, who had arranged a marriage proposal from outside J&K.
After the marriage was solemnised, the “bride” fled with her accomplices within two days. Investigations revealed that the gang was running a fraudulent marriage bureau, arranging everything from the bride and priest to related formalities, before deserting the groom shortly after the ceremony.
Police said many victims had earlier chosen not to report such cases due to social stigma, but five instances have now surfaced — three in Akhnoor and two in Nagrota.
Those arrested have been identified as Deepak Kumar and Vikas Kumar of Poonch, Arun Kumar of Bihar, and Istakhar and Kusum Lata (‘bride’) of Uttar Pradesh.
The spokesman said the gang primarily targeted vulnerable men — especially those struggling to find a match or considered overage for marriage. Police have urged people to remain vigilant and report such incidents without hesitation.
