Jammu Police in Chowki Choura, Akhnoor, have busted a marriage fraud racket and arrested five people, including a woman who posed as a bride. The accused allegedly staged fake marriages and cheated victims of large sums of money.
The case came to light after a complaint was filed at Akhnoor Police Station on August 11 under sections 318(4)/82(2)/61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The investigation was led by In-charge Police Post Chowki Choura, Vinay Kotwal, under the supervision of SHO Akhnoor and SDPO Akhnoor.
According to the complaint, Deepak Kumar, son of Baldev Raj of Dhana Chapri, approached Rashpal Chand, son of Chatru Ramm of Dori Dager, with a marriage proposal from outside J&K, demanding ₹3 lakh. After the wedding, the bride and her accomplices fled within two days.
Police investigations revealed that the gang operated under the guise of a marriage bureau, arranging everything from the bride to the priest. Once the marriage was completed, the “bride” would desert the groom, while many victims, fearing social stigma, refrained from reporting.
So far, five arrests have been made, and police say further arrests are likely. At least four other similar cases have surfaced—two in Akhnoor and two in Nagrota—which are under investigation.
Police have urged people to remain cautious of such frauds, noting that the gang primarily targeted vulnerable individuals, especially those struggling to find suitable matches or considered overage for marriage.
