CHANDIGARH: A series of violent incidents marred wedding celebrations in Punjab and Haryana. In Ludhiana, Punjab, two wedding guests -- including a woman -- were killed and another injured after a clash between two local groups led to gunfire.
In neighbouring Haryana, a professional bodybuilder was allegedly beaten to death after he confronted a group of youths reportedly harassing girls at a wedding venue.
Two people were killed, and one was injured as gunshots were fired during a brawl between two local groups at a wedding at Bath Castle resort on Pakhowal Road in Ludhiana on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday.
A man and a woman Vasu Chopra and Neeru Chhabra, both guests at the wedding, died after receiving bullet injuries as both groups fired at least 20-25 rounds at each other.
While one group was led by Shubham Motta, the other one was led by Ankur. Both have multiple FIRs registered against them. At the wedding ceremony, they came face to face with each other.
Initially, they argued over some issue, which soon escalated into a clash. Some people at the wedding intervened and tried to pacify them, but in vain.
Thereafter, they opened indiscriminate fire at each other with the police, saying 20-25 rounds were fired at the wedding venue.
A case has been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nayaya Sanhita and the Arms Act.
Ludhiana Police Commissioner Swapan Sharma said two guests, who sustained bullet injuries, were taken to a hospital where they succumbed.
He further said six persons have been rounded up, and six to seven more are yet to be held.
Meanwhile, in another incident in neighboring Haryana, a 26-year-old professional bodybuilder from Rohtak died of injuries following a brutal assault by around 20 unidentified persons, soon after he objected to a group of youth harassing girls at a wedding venue, leading to an argument.
The incident took place in Bhiwani on Friday night, and Rohit Dhankar hailing from Humayunpur village, succumbed to his injuries at Rohtak PGI on Saturday.
His family claimed that Dhankar was brutally thrashed near a railway crossing in Bhiwani for objecting to the harassment of women at a wedding.
Rohit a bodybuilder who had won several bodybuilding events had accompanied his friend Jatin to the wedding when an argument with some members of the marriage party escalated into a violent clash.
After the wedding ceremony, Rohit and his friend Jatin left in the car for home. But they were stopped by a group of men who attacked them.
His family members claimed that about 20 armed individuals surrounded the two with sticks and weapons and attacked them. Both of them tried to run, Jatin escaped, but Rohit was caught and was thrashed.
A police official said that a murder case has registered and he police is looking to nab the accused. "All the accused are absconding. Police teams are trying to identify and arrest them. The scuffle over taking a selfie during the function had led to a heated exchange between Rohit and some other youths,’’ he said.