Fight over roti at Indian wedding leads to deaths of 2 teenagers in Uttar Pradesh

Police said the confrontation began with an argument over who was next in line to receive a serving of the flatbread

A deadly brawl over a piece of flatbread at a wedding in India has left two teenagers dead and sparked arrests for murder – part of a troubling pattern of violent outbursts marring nuptial celebrations across the country.

The victims – identified by local media as Ravi, 18, and Ashish, 17 – had been attending the wedding of the village head’s son on Saturday in Sarai Hriday Shah village, Uttar Pradesh, as guests of the bride’s family.

Police said the confrontation started at about 11.45pm when the teenagers were waiting at the tandoor counter for some roti – a type of traditional Indian flatbread – when a dispute erupted with the groom’s cousin and his friends over whose turn it was to be served, according to The Times of India.

Wedding guests said the shouting was so loud that it could be heard over the festive music in the background.

Both sides eventually walked away, but according to police citing eyewitnesses, the groom’s cousin remained furious over what he saw as a public humiliation.

The night’s violence, however, had only just begun.

When Ravi and Ashish left the venue later on motorcycles along with two other boys, they were allegedly pursued by the cousin and his friends, who were said to be armed with iron rods, hockey sticks and lathis – heavy bamboo poles reinforced with metal.

The group caught up with them around 1am. While the other two boys managed to escape, Ravi and Ashish were cornered. Their motorcycles were smashed, and the teens were beaten unconscious and left bleeding on the road, police said.

Passers-by called police and both were taken to hospital. Ashish died in the ambulance while Ravi was declared dead in the trauma centre.

“We were all busy working when suddenly we were informed that a fight had broken out,” the bride’s father, Ramjeevan Varma, told India Today.

“When we reached the spot, the boys had already been fighting and had injured themselves badly. All of this happened over a roti.”

Police have filed arrest warrants for 13 people, eight named and five unidentified men, for murder and rioting. So far, six have been detained and are being questioned while raids are under way to find the rest of the suspects.

Shiv Bahadur, Ashish’s father, told the Hindustan Times that both victims’ families were stunned by the brutal attack on their children.

“My son went to attend a wedding. He never came back. The victims were both students, full of life and promise. And all of this because of a few rotis?”

The incident is not an isolated one. Similar violent altercations have marred a number of Indian weddings in recent years, underscoring how celebrations can turn violent due to disputes, family tensions or deep-seated social divisions.

In April, a wedding in Haridwar, Uttarakhand, was called off after a brawl erupted during the groom’s arrival ceremony, allegedly sparked by lewd remarks from his friends towards the bride’s relatives. The clash, involving stone-pelting and chair-throwing, left over 10 injured and was caught on CCTV, though no formal complaint was filed.

In June of last year, a wedding in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, descended into chaos when guests from the groom’s side noticed that the chicken biryani served lacked the prized leg pieces. What began as a complaint escalated into a full-blown brawl, with guests kicking, punching and throwing chairs at each other. Even the groom became involved in the chaos.