Rajouri: A woman in mid 30’s hailing from the border area of Rajouri district in Jammu region is facing serious allegations of being a ‘Looteri Dulhan’. She is being accused from around a dozen groom’s who claim to have been duped by her in a string of fraudulent marriages.
The number of victims is steadily increasing, prompting concerned individuals to stage street demonstrations in Srinagar. On the directions of Court, J&K Police have taken swift action by filing a First Information Report (FIR) under Section 420 and 120B of the Indian Penal Code in Budgam, central Kashmir.
Budgam resident filed the first complaint
The initial complaint was made by a local resident of Budgam in Kashmir Valley, who fell victim to the alleged scam after being married for a few months. Subsequently, numerous men have come forward with similar accusations, and the police have initiated a thorough investigation into the matter.
Following the accused woman’s presentation of an anticipatory bail in Srinagar Court, she was released by the police after her brief detention. However, a middleman from Khan Sahib in Budgam, who was involved in arranging one of the marriages, has been apprehended by the Police.
Accused denies all claims
Although the accused denies any knowledge of the various grooms, the police are actively pursuing leads to establish the complete list of victims. One of the victims, Mohammed Altaf Mir from Budgam, claimed that he was introduced to the bride by a middleman who appears to be part of a larger network.
“It seems to be a gang operation. The middlemen introduce the woman under different names and facilitate her marriage to men in Kashmir. After the wedding, she vanishes from the house with cash and gold, using various excuses,” Mir alleged.
Shaheena, Zaheena and other aliases
The woman allegedly identified herself as Shaheena, Zaheena, and other aliases during the marriage ceremonies, which were supposedly attended by her alleged “family members” as well, according to the affected men. But the close relative of the accused con bride expressed ignorance about the multiple marriages of her sister-in-law.
She said the women had told her that her husband Altaf has filed a case against her and she needs to go to Srinagar. The women further said that Shaheena the alleged con bride was already married and later on divorced in Rajouri and from the marriage she has two kids a 10 year old boy and 8 year old girl.
Hinged money by exploiting Mehr in Muslim marriages
In Muslim culture, marriage involves a contract and the payment of mehr, a predetermined amount given by the groom to the bride. The victims (multiple groom’s from Kashmir Valley) claim that the accused woman would demand a substantial sum as mehr and then abscond with the money and gold within a few weeks. Most of the victims assert that they were defrauded of amounts ranging from ₹4 to 6 lakh, allegedly orchestrated by the woman and her associates.
Abid Zahoor Andrabi, a lawyer representing one of the deceived men from Budgam, suspects the involvement of a well-organized inter-district gang. He said that during his investigation of the case and statement by his client and other victim’s include elderly and disabled individuals highlights this act of an organised gang who first spotted the potential people for marriages having some problems and then duped them systematically.
