Groom locked for no to nikaah
Subhasish Chaudhuri, The Asian Age
January 28, 2008

Mayapur, Jan. 27: Sometimes a groom has to pay a price for marrying a girl. Shafiq Ali (25) of Nakashipara in Nadia district was made to pay Rs 20,000 for not marrying a girl. He was "detained" for 72 hours and was "released" only after his family paid a compensation of Rs 20,000.

On January 24, ahead of the nikaah, Shafiq refused to tie the knot because he said that Ayesha was not the same girl who he had agreed to marry. Ayesha's furious relatives kept Shafiq and his brother hostage for over 72 hours with the support of local political leaders and police personnel of Iskcon-Mayapur outpost. He was kept at the residence of a local CPI(M) leader, Ziar-ur-Rehman who played a key role in organising a "salishi" (arbitration) meeting with the help of Trinamul Congress leaders, Patu Sheikh and Nintu Sheikh. The Nabadweep police didnot take any action despite a specific complaint. Even the intervention of Nakashipara officer-in-charge, Pintu Saha whom the groom's family initially approached, failed to help.

Sources said on January 24, Shafiq, a resident of Beldanga in Nakashipara, came to Mayapur-Bamunpukur to marry Ayesha, a Madhyamik examinee. However, just before the nikaah, Shafiq tried to flee. An altercation broke out between the two families. Shafiq claimed that the bride was not the same girl with whom his marriage was settled. He identified another girl - Papiya Khatun - who he claimed was shown to him as Ayesha. Papiya is Ayesha's sister. But bride's father, Hussein Sheikh rejected his claim. He tried to force Shafiq to marry Ayesha, but he refused. The situation turned ugly and the baraatis left. However, Shafiq and his brother were detained by the bride's family.

Shafiq's relatives informed the Nakashipara police which immediately informed the Nabadweep police. But no action was taken for 72 hours. Hussein Sheikh said there was no question of negotiating marriage for Papiya, who was still a minor. But Shafiq stuck to his stand that it was Papiya with whom his marriage was fixed.

Shafiq was released on Sunday evening after a bond of Rs 20,000 to the bride's family. The Mayapur police did not take any action against this "extortion". The assistant sub-inspector, Gopal Karmakar said, the police "helped" in Shafiq's release after Rs 20,000 was paid to Hussein Sheikh.