Eloped and got married for first time while studying for degree, planned another wedding on 12th; bride-to-be Reshma caught after groom's friend grew suspicious

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A 30-year-old woman accused of marrying multiple men under false pretences and defrauding them has been arrested by Aryanad police. The woman, identified as Reshma from Manakkunnam, Udayamperoor in Ernakulam, was taken into custody on June 6 — the day she was set to marry her next target, Aneesh, a ward member of the Aryanad Grama Panchayat.

Authorities revealed that Reshma had married another man just 45 days prior and had been actively planning yet another wedding in Thiruvananthapuram for June 12. Her arrest followed suspicions raised by Aneesh and his associates, who found documents of her past marriages while checking her belongings. A formal police complaint was filed immediately after.

Reshma, who has a two-year-old child, allegedly used online matrimonial platforms to target prospective grooms. Police say she would fabricate emotional stories to gain trust, go through with the wedding, and then disappear with cash or valuables. Her previous marriages span across several districts, including Ernakulam, Thodupuzha, Kottayam, Kottarakkara, Valakom, Vaikom, and Thiruvananthapuram.

The groom slated for her June 12 wedding reportedly visited the police station but refrained from lodging a complaint.

In Aneesh’s case, contact was first made by a woman claiming to be Reshma’s mother, who obtained his number via a matrimonial site. After initial introductions, Reshma met Aneesh at Lulu Mall in Kottayam and claimed she was adopted. She also alleged that her family, particularly her abusive mother, opposed the marriage.

Trusting her story, Aneesh agreed to the marriage. On June 5, Reshma arrived in Vembayam and stayed at the home of Aneesh’s friend, a local panchayat member. On the morning of the wedding, she requested to visit a beauty parlour. During her absence, a search of her bag uncovered evidence of her multiple previous marriages, confirming their suspicions.

Further investigation revealed that Reshma had eloped in 2014 with a man from Ernakulam while she was still pursuing her degree. The couple reportedly lived together until 2017 before separating. Between 2017 and 2022, she is believed to have married at least four more men. She gave birth to a child in 2023 and continued her pattern, entering two more marriages in February and March of 2025. Another wedding planned for April with a Thirumala resident was called off after the groom met with an accident.