UTTAR PRADESH: Police in India’s Uttar Pradesh state have arrested seven alleged members of a gang accused of defrauding young men through fake marriage arrangements. The group reportedly includes two women and five men.
According to Indian media reports, the gang operated in Azamgarh and allegedly targeted unmarried men by arranging fake proposals through social media. After finalising the match, the suspects would arrange a wedding at a temple and have the groom’s family give the bride cash and jewellery.
The alleged scheme continued after the wedding, when the gang’s male members would reportedly pose as the bride’s relatives, stop the newlyweds’ vehicle and flee with the bride, cash and jewellery.
Police launched an investigation after receiving a complaint from a local resident and subsequently arrested all seven alleged suspects. Authorities said they recovered Rs19,650 in cash, gold and silver jewellery, wedding-related items and two motorcycles from their possession.
Investigators said one of the women allegedly posed as the bride, while the other acted as her mother to gain the family’s trust. The male members reportedly played the role of fake relatives during the alleged robberies.
