Fake Marriage Racket Busted in Kangra: Five Members of Interstate Gang Arrested

Kangra Police Bust Fake Marriage Racket; Five Arrested

In a major breakthrough, Kangra Police—assisted by vigilant local residents—have busted an interstate gang accused of orchestrating fake marriages to rob unsuspecting young men. Police have arrested five members of the network, including three women and two men, who are believed to be running a well-organized operation across Himachal Pradesh and Punjab.

The racket came to light after a youth from Patialakhar fell victim earlier this year. Posing as matchmakers, the gang approached families seeking brides. Believing the proposal to be genuine, the victim’s family held a traditional wedding in August. The woman stayed at her husband’s home for nearly 20 days before suddenly disappearing with jewelry, cash, and other valuables.

On Saturday, residents of Patialakhar—who had been monitoring the suspects—intercepted a Punjab-registered vehicle heading toward Sujanpur. Police said the gang was allegedly on its way to arrange yet another fake marriage. A middleman traveling with them was also taken into custody; he had reportedly charged ₹2 lakh for setting up such fraudulent weddings.

A case of cheating and criminal conspiracy has been registered. Initial investigations suggest the gang may have executed three to four similar fake marriages in the district. According to police sources, women from Ludhiana, Firozpur, and Jalandhar were involved in the network, pointing to a wider cross-border operation.

Investigators revealed that the gang specifically targeted middle-income and economically weaker families, knowing these households were less likely to conduct thorough background checks. Using forged documents and fake identities, the women would marry, stay briefly with the groom’s family, flee with valuables, and rejoin the gang to repeat the crime.