The Madhya Pradesh government will bear marriage expenses of all the police officials who die in the line of duty, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced in Bhopal on Saturday.

Chouhan, who attended the marriage ceremony of slain jail head constable Ramashankar Yadav's daughter Sonia last night, donned the role of the girl's father as he welcomed guests at the entry gate. "If any police personnel dies in the line of duty, then the state government will bear all the expenses of their daughter's marriage and these girls will be treated as the state's daughter," an official release from the state government said.

The state government claimed that it had left no stone unturned to make this (Sonia's) marriage a grand event. Yadav was allegedly killed by eight SIMI activists on the intervening nights of October 30-31 before they escaped from the high security jail by scaling its walls with the help of bedsheets. The activists were later gunned down by Bhopal Police in an alleged encounter.

Chouhan had then promised that the government will not only offer job to any family member but will also make all arrangements for the marriage of Sonia. The chief minister also handed over an appointment letter for the post of Assistant Grade-III to Sonia as her marriage gift on the occasion.

Chouhan stayed at the wedding till all rituals were done and said that Sonia is a daughter of Madhya Pradesh. He conveyed greetings to both the families on the occasion. Madhya Pradesh Minister of State for Cooperatives (independent charge) Vishwas Sarang was among others present at the function.