Deepak, a 24-year-old laborer from Dubai who had returned to Punjab a month ago, wore a vibrant red turban as he traveled from his village, Mandiali in Jalandhar district, to Moga city on Friday. He was in a flower-decorated car, ready to bring his future bride home.
Deepak, joined by a baraat of over 150 guests in multiple vehicles, was ready to marry Manpreet Kaur from Moga, a woman he had met on Instagram. The couple had been in a relationship for nearly three years.
After three years of connecting on Instagram, the couple decided to marry. They arranged for their parents to speak with each other over the phone to finalize the wedding plans.
Deepak, whose wedding was scheduled for December 6, arrived in Moga on Friday, bringing with him a baraat of over 150 guests, as Manpreet and her family requested. However, upon reaching Moga, he discovered that the bride, Manpreet, was missing, and the venue was no longer available, as reported by the Indian Express.
The groom reached Moga around noon and tried several times to contact Manpreet. Initially, she answered and told him that her relatives would come to guide the baraat to the venue. However, by 5 pm, no one had shown up, and she had turned off her phone.
After waiting for over five hours, Deepak and his family went to the local police station to file a complaint against Manpreet Kaur and her family, according to the report.
In his complaint, Deepak explained that he lived in Dubai and had met Manpreet on Instagram three years ago. They began chatting, developed a long-distance relationship, and eventually decided to marry. After their parents spoke on the phone, they set the wedding date for December 6.
The heartbroken groom also told the police that Manpreet had claimed to be a lawyer with a well-paying job in Ferozepur.
Deepak revealed that he had never met Manpreet in person but had seen her photos on Instagram. He said she had told him the wedding venue was “Rose Garden Palace,” but when they arrived in Moga, they were informed that no such place existed.
The groom also mentioned that he had sent Rs 50,000 to Manpreet when she asked for help with wedding expenses.
