Wedding called off in Fatehpur after pet dog dispute, 5 hurt

PRAYAGRAJ: A pet dog belonging to the bride’s family became the flashpoint for a violent altercation between the bride’s and groom’s families in Khaga tehsil of Fatehpur district, leaving at least five people injured and leading to the cancellation of the wedding ceremony. The incident occurred on Thursday, when 25-year-old jeweller Sumit Kesarwani was to marry 19-year-old Tanu Kesarwani.

According to police, the situation escalated during the wedding rituals when the bride’s pet dog, which was tied at some distance from the venue, began barking repeatedly. Members of the groom’s side allegedly objected to the disturbance and attempted to quieten the animal. One individual is accused of hitting the dog, triggering a heated exchange that soon turned into a physical confrontation. Eyewitnesses said chairs and sticks were used during the scuffle. Three members of the bride’s family, Rishabh Kesarwani, Shubham Gupta and Sangeeta Devi, sustained head injuries, while another suffered a fractured hand. Some members of the groom’s side also received minor injuries. SHO Khaga RK Patel said no formal complaint has been filed so far.