Lucknow: In a shocking crime driven by jealousy and obsession, a groom in Rampur was kidnapped and murdered just a day before his wedding—allegedly by the bride’s former lover. The brutal killing, reminiscent of the high-profile Raja Raghuvanshi murder, has reignited concerns over rising crimes of passion in Uttar Pradesh.
Thirty-five-year-old Nihal, a cook by profession, was preparing for the happiest day of his life when he was abducted and later found dead in a field. Police suspect a meticulously planned murder by Saddam (32), a neighbour of the bride Gulfshan, who was reportedly in a relationship with her and could not accept her marriage to another man.
Groom Vanishes on Eve of Wedding
Nihal, a resident of Gujartola in Ganj area, was scheduled to marry 30-year-old Gulfshan from Dhanpura village under Bhot police station limits on Sunday, June 15. However, he went missing a day earlier under mysterious circumstances.
According to the family, Nihal received a phone call while attending a pre-wedding gathering at a local hotel. Moments later, he left with two unidentified men on a motorcycle, claiming they were cousins. He never returned.
“When he didn’t come home by evening, we panicked,” said Mehndi Hasan, Nihal’s maternal uncle. “We informed the police and reported him missing. The next morning, his body was found in a field.”
Crime of Obsession
Investigators soon uncovered that the bride Gulfshan had been in a year-long relationship with Saddam, who lived next door. Furious over the engagement, Saddam had allegedly warned her, “I would not let the baraat reach. I will kidnap him before that.”
Police believe Saddam obtained Nihal’s phone number from Gulfshan, impersonated a cousin, and lured him out of his house on the pretext of collecting wedding attire. CCTV footage from nearby homes confirmed that Nihal left on a bike with two men matching Saddam’s description.
His body was recovered hours before the wedding procession was to begin, triggering chaos in both villages.
Did the Bride Help Plan the Murder?
While Saddam is the prime accused, suspicion has also fallen on the bride herself. Nihal’s family believes Gulfshan may have been complicit.
“She is part of this,” said Hasan. “Saddam could not have done it alone. This was planned.”
Senior Superintendent of Police Vidyasagar Mishra confirmed that two individuals, including Saddam, have been detained. “The bride is also being questioned. We are investigating all angles, including whether she had any role in the murder,” he said.
Saddam’s family has reportedly gone into hiding, raising further suspicion.
Gulafshan, who is accused of plotting the murder of her fiancé, claims she only ever wanted to marry Nihal. “It was Saddam from the village who threatened me. He wanted to marry me, but I never had any such feelings for him,” she said, defending herself amid serious allegations.
A Disturbing Pattern
The murder has drawn comparisons with the earlier case of Raja Raghuvanshi, whose killing was also linked to romantic jealousy. Both cases reflect a disturbing pattern of possessive relationships spiraling into violence.
Nihal, the youngest son of Musharrat Ali, supported his family by working as a cook at weddings. His father, an asthma patient, is devastated. “He was our hope,” said a relative. “We were celebrating his future, and now we’re mourning his death.”
As police await postmortem reports and continue their interrogation, the tragedy leaves behind grieving families, a shattered bridegroom’s home, and renewed fears about how love, when laced with ego and rage, is turning into a motive for murder.
