Mysuru: A solider’s attempt to marry for the fifth time was foiled at a temple in Vijayanagar here after his first wife sent their wedding photos to the bride’s family through WhatsApp. The purohits and guests were stunned when the bride’s uncle showed the photos of solider Shivananjappa’s first wedding to everyone in the function.

Based on a compliant lodged by his first wife Varalakshmi, Vijayanagar police took Shivananjappa into custody. Shivananjappa, a resident of Saligrama and currently serving in Jammu, had married Varalakshmi 10 years ago. He was charged with dowry harassment and the couple fell apart two years after their wedding. He managed to marry another girl of the same village even before the divorce papers were issued.

Varalakshmi also alleged that Shivananjappa has married two other women by claiming to be unmarried.

Earlier, Shivananjappa had reportedly attacked the police when they went to serve an arrest warrant for not appearing before court in the divorce case. Varalakshmi, tracking his movement, exposed his plan to marry another girl, by sending their wedding pictures to the bride’s relatives.

"Apart from marrying me and another girl of my village, he has married two others. This should end and no other woman should suffer like me," she told reporters.

Shivananjappa, however, denied he has married other women. When they exhibited photos, he said that it was a mischief played against him by his rivals as he was planning to enter politics after his retirement from service. He was later released on bail.