UP woman marries 'brother' she tied Rakhi to for 15 years, family declares her dead

A 20-year-old woman in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj married a man she had considered her brother and tied Rakhi to for nearly 15 years, triggering a bitter family dispute in which her father performed her symbolic last rites after learning about the wedding.

The woman, Nandani Pandey, married 22-year-old Shashwat Gupta, a fellow villager. The couple left their homes on September 20 and later got married.

Nandani's family claimed that Shashwat had been a frequent visitor to their home for years and was treated as a brother by Nandani. Her mother said Nandani had tied Rakhi to him for around 15 years. The family also added that they were unaware that their relationship had changed until the two left home and got married.

Nandani, however, has given a very different account. In a video released after the marriage, she said she and Shashwat were in love and had married with mutual consent.

She also appealed to her family and others not to harass the couple, saying she was happy with her husband and currently lived with him.

She claimed that her father had subjected her to physical and mental harassment and claimed that she had been unwell for a long time without receiving proper medical care. Nandini mentioned that her husband and in-laws had been looking after her and ensuring that she received treatment since the marriage.

She also denied her family's allegation that she left home with Rs 2 lakh, saying her family did not have such a large amount of money.

Meanwhile, Nandani's father learnt about the marriage on September 21. The family subsequently performed symbolic funeral rites for her and treated her as though she had died.

Her mother said the family had severed all ties with Nandani, while the family also questioned the future of the marriage and expressed concerns about her safety.

The family claimed that Shashwat lured Nandani away, while Nandani maintained that she left voluntarily and married him by choice. The two sides have therefore presented sharply different accounts of what led to the marriage.

With both Nandani and her family making conflicting claims, the circumstances surrounding the relationship and marriage remain disputed. Further clarity is expected as official facts and the police investigation emerge.- Ends