Gautam was allegedly beaten until he complied.
A teacher was abducted from his school and forced to marry the daughter of one of his kidnappers at gunpoint in Bihar’s Vaishali district.
Gautam Kumar was recently appointed a teacher through the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC).
He got a job at Utkramit Madhya Vidyalaya, a middle school in Repura.
On November 29, 2023, up to four people turned up at the school and abducted the 23-year-old at gunpoint.
Within 24 hours, Gautam was forced to marry the daughter of one of his kidnappers.
Following the incident, Gautam’s family blocked a road in protest before police initiated a search operation to find the missing teacher.
The school principal also informed the police about the kidnapping.
Allegedly, Rajesh Rai enlisted the help of his relatives to kidnap Gautam and force him to marry his daughter Chandni.
When he refused, Gautam was allegedly beaten until he complied.
In his complaint, the victim’s grandfather accused Rajesh Rai, Bhushan Rai, Binod Rai, Dabloo Rai and Pramod Rai of kidnap.
On November 30, police raided Rai’s house and rescued the teacher.
An officer said: “He will be produced in the court to get his statement recorded under section 164 of CrPC.”
An FIR was registered and an investigation has been launched to arrest the kidnappers, who have gone on the run.
Gautam’s abduction and forced marriage is a case of ‘Pakadwa Vivah’.
Also known as groom kidnapping, it is not uncommon in Bihar. It involves young men being kidnapped and forced to marry.
In this, the wishes of the man and woman have no importance.
This type of marriage was fairly common during the 1970s and 1980s, especially in areas like Begusarai, Lakhisarai, Munger, Jehanabad and Nawada.
Reportedly, the main reason for ‘Pakadwa Vivah’ was because people were unable to marry their daughters due to their inability to pay dowry.
But they wanted their daughters to marry into a good family.
In 2022, a veterinarian was called in to check on a sick animal, only to be kidnapped and forcibly married in Begusarai.
Gautam’s abduction comes a week after Patna High Court annulled a 10-year forced marriage after hearing a petition that was filed on behalf of army official Ravi Kant.
Ravi, who was from Nawada in Bihar, had been kidnapped at gunpoint after visiting a temple.
The marriage took place in the village of Chauki on June 30, 2013.
After 10 years, his marriage was declared invalid.