I’ve heard that India has some pretty strange practices when it comes to courtship and marriage, but this one really takes the cake!

The story starts back in 2001, when Krushna Sahu, 27, of Darlipali village allegedly raped 22-year-old Bilash Sahu. The girl’s family was willing to forego filing a complaint if the rapist would agree to marry the girl, but the man and his family balked at the shotgun proposal.

Sahu fled to another province and local police refused to do anything because no complaint was ever filed. The girl’s family did not give up, however, and got a judge in a nearby town to issue an arrest warrant for the rapist. Sahu was arrested and thrown into jail, which got the two families talking. They eventually decided that marriage in fact was the answer.

Following the nuptials the new bride’s family withdrew their petition, but Sahu still had to return to his cell pending a review of the case later in the week.

Best wishes to the new couple!