A bride collapsed just before her wedding rituals and died in Samaspura village of the Etawah district, India, on Thursday. The groom then married the sister of the dead bride while the body of the bride was in another room. The last rites of the bride were performed after the marriage.
According to The Times of India, the marriage of Mangesh Kumar of Nawli village of Etawah was scheduled with Surbhi of Samaspur village on Thursday. The groom, with his family members, reached the bride’s house and the wedding rituals began on Thursday night. After the jaimala preparations were being made for wedding rituals when suddenly the bride complained of uneasiness and collapsed.
A doctor rushed to treat her but later declared that she died from a heart attack, according to the local news outlet News 18.
The families of both the bride and groom, however, decided to continue with the ‘festivities’ by replacing the bride with her younger sister, Nisha.
Surabhi’s brother Saurabh told local news channel TV9:
We did not know what to do in the situation. Both the families sat together and someone suggested that my younger sister Nisha should be married to the groom. The families discussed the matter and both agreed.
One of Surbhi’s uncles told TV9:
It was a tough call for our family. One daughter lay dead in one room and the wedding of another daughter was being solemnized in the other room.
We have never witnessed such mixed emotions. The grief over her death and the happiness of the wedding have yet to sink in.