Love or Scam? 74-Year-Old Groom vanishes with dowry, owes photographer

Jakarta (The Uttam Hindu): The wedding of a 74-year-old man and a 24-year-old woman in Indonesia is currently making headlines on social media. Besides the 50-year age difference between the two, the wedding is also making headlines for the groom's claimed bride price (dowry) of approximately 18 million rupees.

However, the lavish wedding has now sparked a major controversy. The wedding photography team has accused the couple of disappearing without paying, while some reports even claim the groom fled with a motorcycle belonging to the bride's family.

This unique wedding took place on October 1 in Pacitan Regency, East Java. The groom's name is 74-year-old Tarman, and the bride's name is 24-year-old Shela Ariaka. During the wedding, Tarman publicly announced a dowry of 3 billion rupiah (Indonesian currency, equivalent to approximately 18 million rupees).

According to local media reports, the ceremony was so grand that guests were given 100,000 rupiah (about Rs 6,000) in cash instead of traditional gifts.

Soon after the wedding, the wedding photography team alleged that the couple had not paid them and that they had disappeared and were not in contact. Meanwhile, questions arose on social media about the actual dowry amount and the authenticity of the check.

As the controversy escalated, the groom, Tarman, issued a statement on social media. He said, "I have not abandoned my wife; we are still together. The dowry of 3 billion rupiah is genuine and is backed by the Bank of Central Asia (BCA)." The bride's family also clarified that the couple had not eloped, but were on their honeymoon.

According to the 'Journal of Family Issues', while the age gap between husband and wife is continuously decreasing in Indonesia, this marriage with a gap of 50 years is being considered a very unusual and shocking example.