Patna, Jun 29 (IANS): Lightening not only kills and damages, it also destroys marriages.

In a bizarre incident,a bride in Bihar's Saran district refused to marry her groom after he behaved strangely following a lightning strike that resulted in a violent clash between the members of the two families, police said on Friday.

Renu Kumari (name changed) of Chitrsenpur village under Sonepur police station refused to marry the groom when he stated that he was afraid of lightning and behahaved differently following a lightning strike in a nearby field two days ago.

This shocked the groom's relatives as some marriage rituals had already been solemnied. They protested but attacked by bride's side.

"After (the) lightning (strike), the groom behaved as he was afraid of it. The bride publicly announced she would not marry him, citing his unusual behaviour," a police officer said.

The officer in-charge of the police station, Sidheshwar Azad, said three people from bride's side were arrested and sent to jail for attacking the groom's party.

This is the first time such an incident has been reported from the state. Earlier, several bride refused to marry dark-complexioned, short-statured and mentally unstable grooms.