Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh | April 21, 2025 — In a case of a real-life Bollywood drama, a Uttar Pradesh woman who had eloped with her daughter’s bridegroom just a few days before the wedding has now informed the police that she wants to marry him. The absconding couple, Sapna Devi and Rahul, had turned themselves in to police on April 16 — the day the prospective bride was to get wedded.
The couple had gone missing since April 6, as per police sources, and allegedly carried ₹3.5 lakh in cash and jewellery worth ₹5 lakh, which were to be used for the daughter’s wedding.
“I want to marry Rahul,” says Sapna Devi
In her affidavit, Sapna Devi accused her husband of a lifetime of abuse, saying that he would beat her regularly after drinking and harass her emotionally continuously. She came forward with the fact that once her daughter’s wedding was arranged with Rahul, they started speaking regularly. Those innocent conversations went deep over a period of time — resulting in a relationship which Sapna alleges provided her the strength to walk out of domestic violence.
“My husband used to threaten me and told me to elope with Rahul if I loved him so much,” Sapna informed the police. She also said that her husband would remit her only ₹1,500 from Bengaluru, where she is employed, and used to ask her repeatedly about what she did with it.
Father’s Suspicion and Police Complaint
The soon-to-be bride’s father, Jitendra Kumar, had previously registered a police complaint after the couple went missing. “I reside in Bengaluru and had just arrived at the village. I saw how Rahul would hardly talk to my daughter but spend hours chatting on the phone with my wife. That created my suspicion,” he mentioned in his report to the police.
Jitendra further accused his wife of emotionally influencing Rahul and having planned the entire escape.
Escape Plan Crossed States and Nearly Crossed Borders
Rahul, in his testimony, explained the route of escape. He testified that Sapna Devi initially came to Kasganj, where they boarded a bus to Bareilly, then went to Muzaffarpur in Bihar. On realizing that their elopement had attracted media glare and police action, they proceeded towards the Nepal border in an attempt to cross over.
But dazed by the media glare and the logistical hassles of remaining in hiding, the couple had a change of heart and returned. On Wednesday afternoon, they arrived in Mathura by bus and came to the police station in Aligarh in a private car.
Legal Action Pending, Investigation Continues
Police have yet to decide on the course of legal action, especially concerning the cash and jewellery taken by the duo. Sources said Sapna Devi’s statement regarding domestic abuse is also being looked into.
The case has shocked residents in the region and ignited a debate around family dynamics, emotional abuse, and the complex consequences of strained relationships.
Thus far, both Sapna and Rahul are still with the police while investigations are being carried out.
