Wedding turns into tragedy in Uttarakhand as bride's father dies of heart attack after dowry dispute

A wedding celebration in Uttarakhand, India, was tragically cut short when the bride's father died of a heart attack amid a heated dispute over dowry and the mandatory Islamic 'mehr' payment. The incident occurred in the Islamnagar area of Khatima town.

The dispute reportedly began during the solemnization of the nikah, with the bride's family alleging that the groom's side had continuously increased their dowry demands, escalating from a scooter to a motorcycle and finally to ₹1 lakh in cash. The disagreement also extended to the 'mehr,' with the bride's family insisting on ₹5 lakh while the groom's side offered only ₹21,000.

As tensions peaked and mediation attempts failed, the bride's father, identified as Sadiq, suffered a sudden health deterioration. He was rushed to a hospital, where he was declared dead. His family attributed his fatal cardiac arrest to the severe mental stress caused by the altercation.

Upon hearing of Sadiq's death, enraged relatives and locals detained the groom, Mohammad Arif, along with several other wedding guests inside the marriage hall. Some guests were allegedly assaulted, and a portion of an adjacent roof collapsed during an attempted escape, injuring a few people. Authorities have deployed additional forces to maintain order, and police are recording statements from both sides as an investigation proceeds.