PALAKKAD: Five including three women were arrested in connection with a marriage proposal scam. Sunil from Thrissur, Karthikeyan, Sajitha, Devi and Saheeda from Palakkad were those arrested. The arrest was following the complaint lodged by a native of Salem.

The incident happened on December 12. Manikandan of Salem, who advertised in a matrimonial site in Tamil Nadu, was the victim of the scam. The five-member fraudulent gang who saw the advertisement came to meet Manikandan with the marriage proposal of one of the accused Sajitha. They forced him for the marriage saying that the bride’s mother is sick. Following that, the marriage was held at a temple on the Gopalapuram border and paid a commission of Rs 1.5 lakh.

Karthikeyan came to Manikandan’s house in Salem the next day posing as the bride's brother. Karthikeyan left the place with Sajitha saying that their mother is serious. Both their mobile phones were found switched off later.

The fraud came to light in an investigation conducted by the groom and his friends as there was no information about them even after a week. He immediately lodged a complaint. The Kozhinjambara police said the accused had committed similar scams in the past. All five have been remanded.