A 20-year-old woman in Prayagraj married a 22-year-old man she had considered her brother and tied Rakhi to for nearly 15 years, setting off a bitter family dispute. Nandani Pandey married fellow villager Shashwat Gupta after the two left their homes on September 20. Her family says Shashwat had been a regular visitor to their home and was treated as Nandani’s brother for years. After learning about the marriage, her father performed her symbolic last rites and the family said it had severed ties with her.
Reports say that Nandani, however, has rejected her family’s account. In a video released after the marriage, she said she and Shashwat were in love and had married with mutual consent. She said she was happy with her husband and was living with him, while also appealing to her family and others not to harass the couple.
Prayagraj family claims Rakhi relationship changed without warning
Nandani’s mother said her daughter had tied Rakhi to Shashwat for around 15 years. The family claimed they had no idea that the relationship between the two had changed until they left home and married. They alleged that Shashwat had lured Nandani away and raised concerns about her safety and the future of the marriage.
Reportedly, the family learnt about the wedding on September 21, after which Nandani’s father performed symbolic funeral rites for her. Her mother said the family had cut all ties with Nandani. The Prayagraj family also questioned what would happen to the marriage and expressed concern over their daughter’s safety.
Prayagraj woman gives different account of marriage
Nandani has made several allegations against her family. She claimed that her father subjected her to physical and mental harassment and said she had been unwell for a long time without receiving proper medical care. According to her, Shashwat and his family have been taking care of her and ensuring she receives treatment since the marriage.
As per reports, she also denied her family’s claim that she left home with Rs 2 lakh. Nandani said her family did not have such a large amount of money. Her account presents the marriage as a decision she made voluntarily rather than one resulting from being lured away.
Prayagraj marriage leaves two sharply different versions
The current argument is based on two competing narratives. According to Nandani, she was in love with Shashwat, chose to leave her house and got married out of free will. In contrast, the family of Nandani believes that Shashwat used to be treated like her brother all these years, and that he kidnapped her.
With both parties holding on to their own stories about the nature of their relationship and marriage, it is yet to be seen what facts will surface regarding the wedding in Prayagraj.
Khalid Lateef is a Sub-Editor at NewsX Digital, specializing in Indian politics and global affairs. He also covers viral trending stories and major crime developments.
