Odisha couple skips wedding bash, donates money to CM's COVID-19 fund

Kendrapara (Odisha), May 14 () Putting to restplans of a grand wedding, a couple in Odisha's Jagatsinghpurdistrict has tied the knot in a simple ceremony and donated apart of the funds set aside for the occasion to aid the statein its fight against COVID-19.

The groom, Jyoti Ranjan Swain, said the two familieshad made elaborate plans for the wedding, but the coupledecided to ditch the celebrations, and donate Rs 10,000 to thechief minister's relief fund.

"We had earlier arranged a grand function. But thelockdown threw a spanner in the works. So we decided to donatea part of the money saved for the wedding to help the statecombat the pandemic," said the groom, a resident of Erasamablock in the district.

Apart from the parents, the inspector of Erasamapolice station and block development officer (BDO) attendedthe wedding. The ceremony was held maintaining socialdistancing norms, Swain said.

Erasama BDO Kartik Chandra Behera said the couplehanded over the cheque to him, following the ceremony.

"There was no social gathering. The couple distributedsweets after the ceremony. It was a simple affair," Beheraadded. COR SKNRMS RMS