An FIR has been registered against a man and his family in Aurangabad, Maharashtra, for demanding a tortoise with 21 toenails and a black Labrador as dowry. According to a Times of India report, the man – an Army jawan who hails from Nashik – had gotten engaged to a lady in February this year. Before the engagement, the bride’s family had offered Rs 2 lakh money and 10 grams of gold as dowry to the groom’s family.
After the engagement, the groom’s family reportedly took Rs 10 lakh from the bride’s family beneath the pretext of finding her a permanent government job. However, not only did the groom’s family fail to get the lady a permanent job, they also began escalating their demands and started asking for a tortoise with 21 toenails, one black Labrador dog, a Buddha statue and a samai lamp stand.
According to Times of India, the marketplace worth for a 21-nailed tortoise is in between Rs 5 to 10 lakh, thanks to the prevailing superstition that this uncommon reptile brings fantastic luck and fortune.
The woman’s family attempted seeking for the uncommon tortoise, but have been unable to locate one. When they told the groom’s side of their inability to locate such a tortoise, the groom’s family named off the marriage. A police complaint was lodged immediately after the woman’s family immediately after the man and his family refused to return the valuables offered to them.
“The bride’s family expressed helplessness to meet the demands, after which the groom’s family called off the marriage,” Sadhna Avhad, police sub-inspector investigating the case, told Indian Express. “The bride’s 55-year-old father approached us and we lodged an FIR under section 420, 406 and 34 of IPC for criminal breach of trust and cheating against the groom and his family members. We may add more sections after investigation,” the sub-inspector stated.
The man and 5 members of his family have been booked in the FIR registered on Tuesday.