A man carrying a garland made of currency notes worth Rs 14.5 lakh was robbed at gunpoint. He was returning from a wedding in Bhiwadi in Rajasthan's Alwar district. The incident occurred on June 1 and left the victim with head injuries.
Mr Shad, a relative of the groom from Kishangarh Bas town, rented the cash garland from Haryana for the wedding ceremony. Made from around 3,000 notes of Rs 500 each, the garland was meant as a grand gesture to honour the groom, a common tradition in Indian weddings.
According to police, the robbery occurred while Mr Shad and another person were on their way back to Haryana on a motorcycle, carrying the rented garland. Near Chuharpur village, a Hyundai Creta approached them at high speed, deliberately ramming their bike to stop them. The assailants then threatened Mr Shad with a gun and forcibly snatched the cash garland. He was also hit on the head, resulting in injuries.
Police officials quickly arrived at the scene, inspected the area, and launched a search for the suspects. Deputy Superintendent of Police Kailash Chaudhary confirmed that a case has been registered based on Mr Shad's complaint and that investigations are underway. Authorities are actively working to identify and apprehend the accused.
In India, wedding cash garlands are a traditional symbol used to bless and honour the bride and groom. They represent prosperity, respect, and goodwill.
In a related incident last year, a groom in Uttar Pradesh's Meerut abandoned his wedding procession to chase down a man who snatched his cash garland. The incident occurred on a highway during the traditional wedding ride on horseback.
A mini-truck driver reportedly tore off the garland and fled, but the groom quickly hopped on a passerby's bike and gave chase. He caught up to the driver, climbed onto the truck, forced him out, and, along with others from the wedding party, confronted him.
The driver claimed he took the garland by mistake and had no intention to steal. No official complaint was filed, but a video of the dramatic chase went viral on social media.
