Narpat Singh & his brother after being rescued by the police in Barmer

JAISALMER: In a sequence of events straight out of a Bollywood potboiler, a groom and his brother were kidnapped from the mandap at the former's wedding at Bhata village under Sindhari police station area in Barmer district late Tuesday night. The kidnappers, led allegedly by a man who was engaged to the bride earlier, also thrashed the baraatis before kidnapping the groom and his brother.

As the police mounted pressure on them, the culprits, who had been identified, finally freed the groom and his brother in Jasol area on Wednesday and fled. The police are now searching for the main accused Jalam Singh and his accomplices.

According to Sindhari SHO Jetharam, Narpat Singh, the groom, a resident of Nagar village, reached the bride's village Bhata late Tuesday night along with the wedding guests. Amidst the festive din, the kidnappers struck at the wedding venue, thrashed the guests before kidnapping the groom Narpat and his brother Ganpat Singh and fled.

A few guests have sustained injuries and are being treated at the Sindhari Hospital. Gudamalani deputy Pyarelal Meena, Balotara deputy Chug Singh, Sindhari SHO Jetharam and Balotara SHO Niranjan Pratap Singh also reached the spot. Police teams were formed and a search has been launched for the culprits.

On Wednesday morning, the father of the groom lodged a report. In the initial investigation, it came to light that the bride was earlier engaged to Jalam Singh, a resident of Jasol, but their engagement was later called off and she was then engaged to Narpat Singh. Preparations for the marriage were started without citing mahurat (auspicious dates), to avoid any dispute during the marriage. But Jalam Singh managed to find out the day and place of the wedding somehow and planned the attack, said police. SHO Jetha Ram said that the police launched a search to recover Narpat Singh and his brother and raided the houses in Jasol. Owing to increasing pressure, the culprits released the groom and his brother and fled.

Police are now searching for Jalam Singh, his brother Gopal Singh and a relative Ishwar Singh. Police have lodged a case against the culprits under sections 323, 341, 365, 364A and 382 of the IPC.

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