Bihar Doctor Forcefully Married: Groom Kidnapping Cases Refuse To Die Down

A Bihar-based doctor was forcefully married to a girl in Begusarai after being kidnapped on his way to work. This new case of groom kidnapping or pakadua vivaah highlights the issue of crime against men in Bihar which is often talked about in a comical sense, despite being a very serious crime.

The veterinary doctor, named Satyam Kumar, was kidnapped while he was on his way to an appointment and was then forcefully married to a girl in Begusarai. The man's family has filed a case against three people accusing them of involvement in the forced wedding. A video of the man has also been released in connection with the case in which he can be seen dressed as a groom and sitting next to a bride while the wedding rituals are being performed.

Bihar Doctor Forcefully Married

The vet was called by a resident of Hasanpur village named Vijay Singh in order to treat livestock but was allegedly kidnapped and married against his will. The veterinarian's father Satyam Kumar Jha filed a case at the Teghra police station but no arrests have been made yet. Although the video shows Satyam getting married, it is still unclear whether it was forced or willful. Meanwhile, the police are looking for the culprits mentioned by the vet's father.

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Pakadua vivaah or groom kidnapping has prevailed in the Bihar society for ages. Over 3400 men were abducted for forced marriage in Bihar as per a 2018 report. The prevalent practice has not stopped yet as a 2021 report by IANS mentioned that 2,695 men were abducted. Most of these men were what are commonly known as eligible bachelors, working as doctors and engineers. While the girls are aware of the fact that one day they will be forcefully married to a stranger without their consent, the men are completely unaware of what's going to happen in such situations.

In the recent past, many such incidents were reported by the news media.

21-year-old Shivam Kumar, had cleared the recruitment examination for General Duty (GD) service in the Indian Army. He was allegedly abducted in 2021 and was forced to marry a woman at gunpoint. The police reached at the spot and was able to rescue the man after four hours of kidnapping. The incident took place in Lakhisarai district of Bihar. Another case took place in late 2021 when a man named Guddu Kumar was kidnapped from his friend's house when he went their to deliver some fruits.

This all begins with the obsession of the society of marrying their daughter to a good earning service man. The character, nature or behaviour of the guy is of no importance as long as he earns well and can provide for a family. Are parents not all worried about what will happen to their daughter after a forced marriage? Or are they too relieved after getting the burden of a daughter's marriage off their chest to even care about her safety and welfare?

Often the subject of forced marriages is seen in a comic light, with taunts being made against a guy's manhood, for being forced into an alliance against his will. How could he not protect himself, kaisa mard hai, many joke. But this is a serious violation of a man's consent and will only lead to a stressful marriage where both the partners feel trapped against their will. Every man and woman have their right to choose their life partner, moreover, such practices also reduce a groom's desirability to his paycheck or family status, so how is this not objectification?

The first thing that needs to change is the way we talk about such incidences and treat them as serious crimes against not just grooms but the brides as well.

Views expressed are the author's own.