Mysore: A carpenter by profession, Manjunatha engaged to Geetha, died in mysterious conditions hours before his marriage on Friday. An alternate groom found in Shivaraj, enabled bride’s family from sorrow to joy, when a relative attending another marriage at a different venue was found and he was ready to marry Geetha, whose father is a school teacher in Hinkal here.

Manjunath had taken part in some of the marriage rituals on Thursday at Rama Mandira in V.V. Mohalla. Later he had disappeared and was hanging on a tree past midnight at B.M. Sri. Nagar, when Metagalli police found him on early Friday.

There was a money deal involved for Rs. 4 lakhs Shivaraj, a close relative of Geetha, married her in another venue at Vijay Nagar and priests conducted the ceremony. Both are happy.