Yet Another Bihar Teacher Abducted And Forced Into Marriage: Case So Far

The practice of "Pakadua Vivah" has gripped the rural areas of Bihar for ages and is only rising every day. It has caused a menace by normalising crimes like kidnapping and thrashing random men with good employment prospects and forcing them into marrying the daughters of the kidnappers. Many such cases have come to light in the past few months and are raising concerns about the safety and autonomy of both the men and the women. Another such case was reported in Jamui where a government teacher was abducted and forced to marry the abductor's daughter. 

As per reports, Mukesh Kumar from Jamui was allegedly abducted and forced to marry Purnima Kumari. Kumar recently cleared the Bihar Public Services Commission Examination and became a government school teacher. It is mainly the government employees who are becoming the soft targets of this shameful practice. As per reports, families are resorting to Pakadua Vivah because of the sky-reaching rates of dowry in the state. 

The video of Mukesh Kumar's forced marriage with Purnima Kumari has gone viral. Mukesh is seen claiming that the woman, Purnima, has been pursuing her since he got his job. He said, "I am not happy. Even if you force me to marry, I won't stay with her."

Purnima has denied his allegations. She said, that she had been in a relationship with Mukesh since 2015. She added, "After getting a job, his behaviour changed. He began ignoring me." 

Although Gidhor SHO Braj Bhushan Singh said that he hasn't received any complaint of abduction. He added, "I called the girl's father, he said they would settle it after talks with the groom's parents." 

Other such cases

This case has been reported over a month after Gautam Kumar was kidnapped and married in Vaishali district. He too was a government teacher who cleared BPSC exams. Reportedly, he was kidnapped by 3-4 people from outside his school and made to marry the daughter of the kidnappers, Chandini, at gunpoint.

Then, last year, 29-year-old Vinod Kumar, a junior manager, was thrashed and forced to marry a woman in Pandarak area of Patna.

In another bizarre incident, a veterinarian Satyan in Begusari was tricked by inviting him to check on an animal. The next thing was that he was forced to marry a woman. 

Cases are many because as per reports at least half a dozen such cases have been reported in Bihar. 

 What does Pakadua Vivah imply?

Pakadua Vivah or simply forced marriage implies that it is okay for a man and a woman to marry against their choice as far as they are together. It ignores the autonomy of both the man and woman involved in the marriage and the after-effects of a forced marriage. Any relationship that is forced can never succeed. It will involve misunderstandings, fights, lack of support, and dissatisfaction even leading to grave crimes like domestic violence.

But in our society, especially in rural areas, it is more important for a woman to get married than to be safe inside a marriage. It is okay for a woman to suffocate in a forced relationship than to stay unmarried burden on the family. 

Moreover, Pakadua Vivah objectifies men in terms of their earnings or employment position. The practice nullifies their choices and freedom by thrashing, abducting, tricking and forcing them into a wedlock.  It is believed that once married, the man is bound to take care of the woman no matter what happens. 

However, in a recent ruling, the Patna High Court nullified a 10-year-long forced marriage between Nawada Armyman and a Lakhisarai woman. Bihar police are also getting alert against the practice. But until and unless the families and the men and the women change their mindsets, the practice of Pakadua Vivah is going to last. Until and unless men and women start opposing such forced unions, families stop considering their daughters as burdens and society stops normalising crimes like kidnapping, thrashing or domestic violence, cases of Pakadua Vivah will keep reporting and shocking us every day. 

Views expressed are the author's own.