Chennai, Sep 10 (IANS): To stop his lover from marrying another man, a 24-year-old Tamil Nadu man snatched the 'Thali' (mangalsutra) from the prospective groom and tried to tie it around the woman's neck.

The intruder and the bride were in a relationship and according to police, the girl had sent a text message asking him to take her. The youth and the woman were working in a luxury hotel in Chennai.

The youngster reached the marriage hall in the morning and when the prospective groom was about to marry his lover, he entered the stage, snatched the 'Thali', and tried to tie it on her neck but was stopped and beaten up by people present.

The incident occurred in a marriage hall in Chennai on Friday morning and after the incident, police were called who on investigation found that the youngster and the girl were in a close love affair and that it was at the insistence of the girl that the youth had come to the hall.

The marriage was called off with the families of the groom and the girl entering into an argument. Police said that talks are taking place between the intruder's youth's family and the girl's family to get them married.

Police said that no case was registered.