Shahjahanpur: A walima (wedding reception) of an interfaith couple was called off in Uttar Pradesh‘s Shahjahanpur after members of Hindu Jagran Manch, a Hindutva organisation, raised strong objections.
According to reports, 29-year-old Dr Adnan married a Hindu woman, Neelam, an MBA graduate working at a multinational company, in a Delhi court on September 12, 2025.
On January 11, the couple hosted their reception at a local banquet lawn in Shahjahanpur. News spread, and a large number of right-wing workers led by Hindu Jagran Manch member Rajesh Awasthi reached the event venue, holding a demonstration, objecting to the interfaith union.
A purported video of the incident surfaced showing Awasthi mobilising a crowd to intensify the protest the following day, if a case was not registered against the groom and his family members.
“Whoever was present at the event, the people who officiated the nikah, the qazi and the family, we will register an FIR (First Information Report) against them,” he is heard saying in the video.
“If she (Neelam) is a minor, then we file an FIR against her as well, but if she is an adult, we will see,” he added.
Subsequently, the police were called, prompting the family to call off the reception. The Hindutva organisation submitted a memorandum to the Shahjahanpur Superintendent of Police (SP) Rajesh Dwivedi on January 12, demanding action against Dr Adnan under the National Security Act.
Opposing claims by police, groom’s family
SP Dwivedi said that by the time the police reached the spot, the event was called off. Citing Dr Adnan’s family, the officer said that they had printed invitation cards, and the bride’s name was mentioned as Neelam Ansari.
On the other hand, the groom’s father alleged that the police had asked them not to stop the event. “Following the police request, I cancelled the programme,” he was quoted by The Indian Express.
He also rejected the claim that no physical invitations were circulated.
(With inputs from agencies)
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