Woman runs away from home to avoid arranged marriage
Archana Tiwari, a 29-year-old lawyer and Katni native, staged her disappearance on August 5 to escape family pressure for an arranged marriage.
She left her bag and gifts on a train during Raksha Bandhan, making it look like she'd gone missing.
Police first thought it was an accident but, after nearly two weeks of investigation, uncovered that Archana had planned everything with the help of a friend and his driver.
How Archana escaped family pressure
Archana deboarded the train at Itarsi station in a camera blind spot, ditched her phone near Itarsi, and traveled across several states while avoiding tolls and CCTV. Her journey took her all the way to the India-Nepal border.
The driver was caught in Delhi and gave police key details about Archana's route.
After nearly two weeks away, she returned to Bhopal voluntarily.
No charges have been filed against her or her friends so far—the case is still under investigation and highlights just how far some people feel they need to go when facing intense family expectations around marriage.