Bihar teacher kidnapped and forced to marry, files complaint against 'Pakadua Vivah' practice

Avnish Kumar files complaint after allegedly being kidnapped and forced to marry a 25-year-old in Katihar

A 30-year-old school teacher in Bihar has filed a police complaint after allegedly being kidnapped and forced to marry a 25-year-old woman in Katihar district. The incident highlights the resurgence of Pakadua Vivah, a controversial tradition of forced marriages still prevalent in parts of the state.

Avnish Kumar, an assistant teacher at a government school, was reportedly abducted by two men in an SUV while traveling to work on an e-rickshaw. According to Kumar, the vehicle stopped near a temple, where he was coerced into marriage by the woman’s family. Despite his protests and pleas, the wedding was performed under duress, with a priest conducting the rituals.

Allegations and escape

Kumar alleged that the woman's relatives threatened him into completing the ceremony. The bride, Gunjan Kumari, a resident of Lakhisarai district, accompanied him to his native village in Begusarai after the ceremony. However, Kumar managed to escape when the vehicle stopped near his village, Rajaura Sikandarpur.

Gunjan and her family followed him to his home, but Kumar’s family refused to accept her as their daughter-in-law. The situation escalated, prompting Gunjan to approach the local Mufassil police station for intervention.

Gunjan's claim of a relationship

Gunjan told police she had been in a relationship with Kumar for four years, having first met him at her elder sister’s house, where he was a tutor. She alleged that Kumar had promised marriage and established a physical relationship with her on several occasions. Gunjan claimed that after Kumar secured a government teaching position in Katihar, he began avoiding her.

"I used to visit him in Katihar whenever he called me and stayed with him for three to four days," Gunjan said in her complaint, adding that Kumar had since blocked her calls and avoided contact.

Police investigation underway

The Mufassil police summoned Kumar’s father, Sudhakar Roy, after Gunjan filed a formal complaint. Station House Officer (SHO) Arvind Kumar Gautam said the case has been forwarded to the Mahila Helpline for counselling. "The alleged incidents of abduction and forced marriage did not occur under our jurisdiction, but we are verifying the details," Gautam said.

A viral video purportedly showing the forced marriage has drawn further attention to the case.

Kumar, speaking to reporters, confirmed he had informed the Katihar superintendent of police about his alleged kidnapping and the forced marriage. "The marriage was performed under threat and against my wishes," he said. Kumar revealed that he had filed a case of kidnapping and physical assault in Katihar.

The Dark tradition of Pakadua Vivah

Pakadua Vivah is an infamous practice in Bihar, where a bride’s family abducts an unmarried man, often at gunpoint, and forces him into marriage. Police sources report a significant increase in such cases in recent years, driven in part by rising dowry demands.

In 2024, Bihar has recorded its highest number of groom kidnappings in three decades. A similar case was recently reported in Vaishali district, where another school teacher was forced into marriage at gunpoint.

While Kumar admitted to having known Gunjan in the past, he insisted their relationship was over before his teaching appointment. "I blocked her phone numbers, but she kept contacting me using different numbers," he claimed.

Authorities are continuing to investigate the incident as the debate over this troubling tradition persists in the state.