Humane face of UP police: Cops fund wedding after family suffers tragic loss

The police in Gonda city organised the wedding of a young woman whose family was in dire straits due to the death of its breadwinner among other financial hardships, officials said on Friday.

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The wedding took place in Dhannipurwa village in the Umri Begumganj area on Thursday night.

Uday Kumari lost her brother in a dacoity incident in April, which forced the family to postpone her wedding, originally scheduled for May.

Taking the family under their wing, the police took full responsibility for the wedding and solemnised the ceremony in a grand, traditional manner.

The event was carried out with the support of the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF), Superintendent of Police (SP) Vineet Jaiswal said.

"The girl was to be married on May 5, but on the night of April 24, her brother Shivdeen was shot dead by robbers who had broken into their home. As a result, the wedding had to be called off," he said.

The investigation led the police to the Pasi gang. Acting swiftly, multiple police teams were deployed, resulting in the identification of six accused individuals. Four were arrested during encounters, in which three sustained bullet injuries.

The gang's kingpin, Gyan Chand Pasi and another wanted criminal, Sonu Pasi, were killed in separate encounters by the STF and the police on May 20 in Umri Begumganj and May 22 in Barabanki, respectively.

Ritu Shahi, the wife of STF Circle Officer DK Shahi and a member of the State Women's Commission, along with Dr Tanvi Jaiswal, wife of SP Vineet Jaiswal and chairperson of VAMA Sarathi (a police family welfare organisation), visited Kumari's house.

Besides consoling the grieving family, they also assured to take full financial responsibility for Kumari's wedding.

On Thursday, officers from the police and STF participated in the wedding festivities. From decorations and food to rituals, every detail was handled by the police. The police chief and his wife attended the ceremony and presented Rs 1.51 lakh in cash, along with essential jewellery and household items to the newlyweds on behalf of the department.

"We wanted to send out a clear message: we are not just here to fight criminals, but also to stand strongly with victims in their times of need. When a family is in crisis, it is our duty to protect, reassure and help bring their lives back on track," the SP said.

Kumari's father admitted that he had lost all hope of seeing his daughter married, but thanks to the police's help, the family was able to hold the wedding.

"The police didn't feel like officers on duty, they were like our own family," he said.