From Ritual to Riot: Bijnor Wedding Erupts Over ₹5K Shoe Ceremony Row

A traditional wedding ritual in Uttar Pradesh's Bijnor took a shocking turn when a light-hearted custom sparked a violent clash between two families. During the joota chupai ceremony where the bride’s family hides the groom’s shoes for fun and expects a cash reward in return the groom handed over ₹5,000 instead of the expected ₹50,000. Offended by the lower amount, women from the bride's side allegedly insulted the groom, calling him a beggar. The situation escalated quickly, with the groom reportedly being locked in a room and beaten with sticks by members of the bride’s family.

The incident surfaced when Muhammad Shabir, the groom from Chakrata in Uttarakhand, arrived in Bijnor with his wedding procession on Saturday. During the wedding rituals, the bride’s sister-in-law took part in the playful joota chupai tradition by hiding Shabir’s shoes and demanding ₹50,000 to return them. Instead, Shabir offered ₹5,000, which led to some women from the bride’s side mocking him and calling him a beggar.

Tensions escalated between the two families after Shabir was allegedly called a beggar, leading to a heated argument that soon turned into a physical altercation. According to Shabir’s relatives, the bride’s family locked them in a room and assaulted them with sticks. On the other hand, the bride’s side claimed the fight broke out after Shabir’s family raised concerns about the quality of the gold given as a wedding gift. The bride’s brother stated that during the dispute, Shabir’s family questioned their priorities, implying they valued money more than the bride.

Police were alerted to the situation and promptly arrived to defuse the tension between the two families. Later, both sides visited the Najibabad police station in Bijnor to present their versions of the events. Authorities confirmed that the dispute stemmed from the joota chupai ritual, and both families eventually resolved the matter through a mutual settlement.