Patna: Avnish Kumar had recently cleared the Bihar Public Service Commission exam to become a teacher. On Friday, while on his way to the school where he was employed, two Scorpios intercepted his e-rickshaw. A dozen unknown men got out of the vehicles and pointed guns at Avnish. Within hours, he was kidnapped, beaten and forcibly married to a girl he was accused of being in a four-year-long relationship with.
This marked another instance of ‘Pakadwa Vivah’ in Bihar, a phenomenon wherein unmarried men are forced to marry with a gun pointed at their heads. According to the police, 2024 witnessed the highest reported cases of forced weddings in the last 30 years.
The Incident
Avnish Kumar, son of Sudhakar Rai and a resident of Rajaura in Bihar’s Begursarai district was kidnapped by relatives of Gunjan, a woman from Lakhisarai district. Mr Kumar and Gunjan were allegedly in a four-year-long relationship. However, Mr Kumar, who secured a government teaching position recently and is posted at a middle school in Katihar district, allegedly refused to formalise the relationship into marriage.
Gunjan alleged that their relationship was serious, involving frequent visits to hotels and shared stays at Avnish’s residence in Katihar.
“He had promised to marry me and start a family,” Gunjan alleged. “He had also taken me to his school. We were in love for four years. But when I informed my family about it, and we approached him for marriage, he refused. This was unacceptable.”
Three days prior to the incident, Gunjan’s family discovered the couple together in Katihar. They allegedly kidnapped Avnish and forcibly married him in a temple. A viral video shows Avnish being held by several men while Gunjan, dressed in a wedding saree and vermilion on her head, stands nearby. Avnish is visibly distressed as he is coerced into completing marriage rituals under duress.
The Aftermath
Following the forced ceremony, Gunjan accompanied her family to Avnish’s home in Rajaura, but chaos ensued. Avnish reportedly managed to escape. When Gunjan eventually arrived at the house, Avnish’s family refused to accept her as part of their household.
Gunjan has since filed a complaint with the police, pleading for justice.
Avnish, however, denied all allegations of a romantic relationship. “I had no love for that girl,” he alleged. “She harassed me by repeatedly calling and stalking me. On the day of the incident, some men kidnapped me in a Scorpio vehicle while I was on my way to school. They beat me, forcibly applied vermilion, and tried to perform rituals. I protested throughout.”
Avnish has also filed a complaint, alleging kidnapping and physical assault.