Guests had arrived, the stage was set, and the marriage ceremony was about to begin when police stormed the venue and arrested the groom from the mandap. It might sound like a scene from a film, but this is how drama unfolded at a wedding venue in Bhopal on Wednesday as the cops arrested the groom, an alleged gangster, right before the wedding rituals.. Photo for representation (PTI). Also read: Akasa Air also hikes fares, adds ₹199–1,300 surcharge as West Asia war sets oil prices on fire. The situation forced the bride to go to the Koh-e-Fiza police station and plead with the cops to release her fiance at least to complete the wedding rituals, NDTV reported.. “Sahab, my life will be destroyed. What’s my fault? I didn’t know about the crimes he committed. Guests are waiting at home. Haldi and other rituals have been done,” the bride was quoted as saying.. The arrested groom was identified as Akash Neelkanth, the alleged leader of a gang. Police also arrested his associates Rajamji Thakur, Abhishek Upadhyay, Abhishek Meena, Neeraj Khange, and Amit Oswal.. Neelkanth, alias Bhura, is said to be the leader of a gang that goes by the name ‘Illegal Gang’ in Bhopal that has over 50 young men as its members. The members of the gang reportedly have the word “illegal” tattooed on their necks. The gang has been active since 2018.. Also read: Cheap drones that fly close to ground, Russian tactics: How Iran is standing up to US, Israel. Neelkanth has 31 cases registered against him and faces serious charges like murder.. He spent 18 months in jail in connection with murder of BJP Yuva Morcha Mandal vice-president Surendra Kushwah was killed on March 18, 2024. Neelkanth, the main accused in the case, was released on bail just four months ago.. Also read: ‘Spent months on bullying, now begging’: Iran on US waiver for India to buy Russian oil. However, he was arrested on the day of his marriage in an extortion case as the gang had allegedly kidnapped a 26-year-old priest and thrashed him in a flat in Eidgah Hills area as they demanded ₹8 lakh. The kidnapped man was threatened with a false rape case in case he refused to pay, as per the case. The gang reportedly forced the priest’s brother to transfer 50,000 online and pressured his family to arrange the remaining amount in installments.. The kidnapped priest managed to escape the flat on March 11 and approached the police. Police acted quickly and arrested Neelkanth when he was about to get married.