Fake marriage racket busted in Kangra, 5 held

In a major breakthrough, the Kangra police, aided by alert local residents, have dismantled an inter-state gang that engineered fake marriages to rob unsuspecting youths. The police have arrested five members of the group, three women and two men, believed to be operating a well-organised racket across Himachal Pradesh and Punjab.

The gang's modus operandi involved posing as matchmakers and approaching families searching for brides. The fraud surfaced after a youth from the Patialakad area was deceived earlier this year. Convinced they had found a legitimate match, the victim's family conducted a traditional wedding in August. The woman stayed in the groom's house for nearly 20 days before disappearing abruptly with jewellery, cash and other valuables.

On Saturday, residents of Patialakad, who had been keeping track of the suspects' movements, intercepted a Punjab-registered vehicle heading towards Sujanpur. The police said the group was en route to arrange yet another fraudulent marriage. A middleman travelling with them, who allegedly charged Rs 2 lakh for fixing such alliances, was also detained.

A case of fraud and criminal conspiracy has been registered. Preliminary investigations indicate that the gang may have executed three to four similar fake marriages in the district. Police sources revealed that women from Ludhiana, Ferozepur and Jalandhar were associated with the network, pointing to a wider cross-border operation.

Investigators said the group specifically targeted middle-income and financially modest families, knowing they were less likely to conduct thorough background checks. Armed with forged documents and fabricated identities, the women would marry, stay briefly in the matrimonial home, then flee with valuables before regrouping with the gang. — TNS