Hardoi, 20 April

A man was arrested in this Uttar Pradesh district for allegedly cutting off his wife's braid at a beauty parlour, police have said.

The matter came to light when the woman's father, Radhakrishna, filed a dowry harassment complaint against her husband, Rampratap, the police said on Saturday.

Radhakrishna said his daughter married Rampratap about a year ago. He alleged that since the wedding, his daughter had been continuously harassed by her in-laws for dowry, including demands for a refrigerator and a cooler.

A week before the incident, Radhakrishna brought his daughter home.

'The situation escalated when, as alleged by the father, his son-in-law arrived at the beauty parlour with three companions and cut off his daughter's braid,' Circle Officer Ravi Prakash said.

While Radhakrishna claimed the incident was linked to dowry harassment, locals said Rampratap was angered by his wife's visit to the beauty parlour to get her eyebrows done, he added.

Prakash said the matter was being investigated.