FIR lodged after Indian Army jawan asks for tortoise with 21 toenails, black Labrador dog as dowry

Mumbai/Bhubaneswar: A man from Maharashtra landed in trouble after an FIR was lodged against him for demanding a tortoise with 21 toenails and a black Labrador as dowry.

The man, an Indian Army jawan who hails from Nashik, had reportedly gotten engaged to a woman in February this year. As per a report in the Times of India, the bride’s family had already given him Rs 2 lakh cash and 10 grams of gold as dowry.

The groom’s family allegedly took a whopping Rs 10 lakh from the bride’s family under the pretext of getting her a government job. Even after failing to land a government job for their would-be daughter-in-law, the groom’s family asked for more in dowry, the most bizarre of which were a tortoise with 21 toenails and a black Labrador dog.

According to reports a 21-nailed tortoise could easily fetch anything between Rs 5-10 lakh in the market. Many people seek this rare animal as there is a superstitious belief that it brings good fortune to anyone who possesses it.

When the bride’s family failed to acquire this rare animal, the groom’s family called off the marriage. An FIR was lodged against the man and his family after they refused to return all the valuables they had received as part of the dowry.

“The bride’s family expressed helplessness to meet the demands, after which the groom’s family called off the marriage,” Police sub-inspector Sadhna Avhad, who is 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 police official added.