May 27, 2021
The groom, Rakesh, ties a sacred thread around the neck of the bride, Dakshina.
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The Indian airline SpiceJet is feeling the heat after a young couple chartered one of its jets for a mid-air wedding ceremony with more than 160 guests, many of whom flouted Covid-19 restrictions.
Photographs and video footage of the wedding have gone viral on social media, prompting widespread criticism of the couple and the Indian aviation regulator to de-roster the crew and direct the airline to make a formal complaint against the passengers.
Critics say the ceremony on Sunday was particularly insensitive given India is grappling with a devastating second wave of Covid-19 pandemic in which it has been reporting more than 200,000 infections per day. The couple’s hometown of Madurai, in the state of Tamil Nadu, is reporting more than 1,300 cases a day, while the state itself reported more than 34,000 cases and 468 Covid-19 deaths on Tuesday alone