A shocking incident has surfaced from Bihar’s Darbhanga district, where a marriage ceremony was abruptly called off after the bride’s family allegedly discovered that the groom, who had come to marry a Hindu woman, was actually a Muslim man using a different identity. The matter quickly escalated, leading to the detention of the groom and several people accompanying him by the bride’s relatives. Police later intervened and arrested five individuals connected to the case.

The incident reportedly took place in a village falling under the jurisdiction of the Jale Police Station area in Darbhanga district. According to reports, a Muslim woman identified as Ikra Khatun had allegedly arranged the marriage between the Hindu woman and a man said to be from Rajasthan’s Jhunjhunu district. Preparations for the wedding had already been completed, and the bride’s family was waiting for the marriage rituals to begin.

However, suspicion arose the moment the groom arrived at the wedding venue. Family members of the bride reportedly noticed that the man standing before them did not resemble the person whose photograph had earlier been shown during marriage discussions. They claimed that the groom appeared significantly older than the individual seen in the picture shared before the alliance was fixed.

The sudden discrepancy reportedly alarmed the bride’s family. What began as confusion soon turned into serious suspicion. Family members started questioning the groom and the people who had accompanied him in the wedding procession. As doubts deepened, the bride’s relatives detained the groom and his associates inside the premises and informed others in the village.

The family alleged that they had been deceived and trapped in a carefully planned fraud. According to them, the groom was allegedly a Muslim man who had obtained forged identity documents, including an Aadhaar card carrying a Hindu name, in order to conceal his real identity and proceed with the marriage.

The bride’s mother and uncle accused Ikra Khatun of misleading them from the very beginning. They alleged that she intentionally hid the religious identity of the groom and fraudulently attempted to arrange the marriage of their daughter with a Muslim man. The family further claimed that they suspected a larger conspiracy behind the marriage arrangement and feared that their daughter could have been trafficked after marriage.

The bride’s family alleged that the accused woman intended to send the young woman to Rajasthan after marriage and eventually force her into illegal activities.

Speaking about the matter, the bride’s mother made serious allegations regarding the way the marriage had been arranged.

“The marriage was arranged by showing a photograph of a different man. The broker, Iqra Khatun, is involved in the illicit trade of buying and selling men. The broker fabricated a fake Aadhaar card to change his religious identity from Muslim to Hindu. Only six guests attended the wedding procession. Such a meagre number of guests is unheard of, even in cities like Delhi or Mumbai,” the bride’s mother said.

She further alleged that Ikra Khatun had paid her ₹20,000 in connection with the marriage arrangement. The statement added another layer of suspicion to the entire episode, as locals began questioning the activities of those involved.

Reports further claimed that this was not the first time such a marriage had allegedly been arranged by Ikra Khatun. According to information shared by local residents, she had previously arranged marriages of two other women from the same area with men from Rajasthan.

Villagers alleged that those women later returned to their parental homes within a short period after marriage. Locals further claimed that the women had complained of being pressured into prostitution after being taken to Rajasthan. These allegations intensified concerns in the village and raised fears about the possibility of an organised trafficking network operating under the guise of marriage arrangements.

The bride’s family accused Ikra Khatun of allegedly arranging marriages between women from Bihar and men from Rajasthan in exchange for money. They alleged that after these marriages, young women were pushed into prostitution and exploitation.

According to local information, Ikra Khatun belongs to the Jale police station area and had reportedly been living in Rajasthan for nearly nine years. Her husband, Noor Alam, is said to work in the bag manufacturing business. The couple reportedly has three sons who are currently pursuing their studies. At present, Khatun is said to be residing in Shivdhara area of Darbhanga district.

Police officials confirmed that action had been initiated following the complaint filed by the bride’s family. Station House Officer Sandeep Kumar Pal stated that five individuals connected to the case had been arrested and that a detailed investigation into the wider network was currently underway.

The police are reportedly interrogating the accused persons to determine whether similar cases may have occurred earlier and whether more individuals are linked to the alleged operation.

Meanwhile, the bride’s family has demanded compensation for the expenses incurred during the wedding preparations after the ceremony was cancelled midway.

On the other hand, the groom reportedly denied allegations that he was a Muslim. He was carrying an Aadhaar card that allegedly identified him as Hindu and used it to defend his identity during questioning. However, the matter remains under police investigation.