PATNA: Another government teacher in Bihar was allegedly abducted and coerced into marriage on Thursday, extending a rash of such “Pakadua Vivah (forced weddings)” in recent months in which youths with government jobs seem to have become soft targets. Mukesh Kumar’s ordeal in Jamui comes just over a month after fellow government teacher Gautam Kumar was kidnapped and married in Vaishali district.
A video of Mukesh’s wedding has gone viral, where he is seen complaining that the bride, Purnima Kumari, started “pursuing” him since he got the teaching job after clearing the Bihar Public Service Commission exam. “I am not happy. Even if you force me to marry, I won’t stay with her,” he says.
Purnima denied Mukesh’s assertions, claiming that they were in a relationship since 2015. “After getting a job, his behaviour changed. He began ignoring me,” she said.
Gidhor SHO Braj Bhushan Singh denied receiving any complaint. “I called the girl’s father, he said they would settle it after talks with the groom’s parents,” Singh said. At least half-a-dozen such forced marriages have been reported in Bihar since last year. Besides Mukesh and Gautam, the others included Mokama’s Vinod Kumar, Begusarai’s Satyan, Lakhisarai’s Shubham Kumar and Vaishali’s Amit Kumar. Vinod is an engineer in Jharkhand’s Bokaro Steel Plant, Satyan a veterinary doctor and Shubham an army clerk.
Amit is a pharmacy student and was probably targeted as he has bright job prospects. Rocketing dowry rates are a common reason that several brides’ families have cited as reasons for resorting to such forced marriages.
A video of Mukesh’s wedding has gone viral, where he is seen complaining that the bride, Purnima Kumari, started “pursuing” him since he got the teaching job after clearing the Bihar Public Service Commission exam. “I am not happy. Even if you force me to marry, I won’t stay with her,” he says.
Purnima denied Mukesh’s assertions, claiming that they were in a relationship since 2015. “After getting a job, his behaviour changed. He began ignoring me,” she said.
Gidhor SHO Braj Bhushan Singh denied receiving any complaint. “I called the girl’s father, he said they would settle it after talks with the groom’s parents,” Singh said. At least half-a-dozen such forced marriages have been reported in Bihar since last year. Besides Mukesh and Gautam, the others included Mokama’s Vinod Kumar, Begusarai’s Satyan, Lakhisarai’s Shubham Kumar and Vaishali’s Amit Kumar. Vinod is an engineer in Jharkhand’s Bokaro Steel Plant, Satyan a veterinary doctor and Shubham an army clerk.
Amit is a pharmacy student and was probably targeted as he has bright job prospects. Rocketing dowry rates are a common reason that several brides’ families have cited as reasons for resorting to such forced marriages.