On June 14, a case of Pakadua Vyah (forced marriage) came to light from Begusarai, Bihar. As per reports, a veterinary doctor identified as Satyam Kumar was allegedly kidnapped and forced to marry a woman in the Begusarai district of Bihar.
Kumar’s father, Subodh Kumar Jha, said Satyam was called by a man named Vijay Singh of neighbouring Hasanpur Village to treat livestock on Monday. However, on his way, Satyam was kidnapped and forcefully married to a woman. Jha, who is a resident of Pidhauli village under Teghra Police Station limits, has filed a complaint against three people in the matter.
The Police have initiated a probe into the matter, and teams have been formed to find Satyam and nab the culprits. Notably, it is still unclear if Satyam married the woman himself or if he was forced to marry her. Begusarai Superintendent of Police (SP) Yogendra Kumar said in a statement that his father had filed a complaint, and the Police are looking into the matter from every possible angle. So far, Satyam has not made any contact with his family.
Speaking about the tradition of ‘Pakadua Vivah’, SP Kumar said, “In Bihar’s Begusarai, the tradition of Pakadua Vivah started in the 1970s, but later on, incidents of forced marriages were curbed. We have received information from the family of a veterinary doctor that he was abducted and forcefully married. The man’s father has filed a police complaint, and we are investigating the matter from all angles.”
Video of Satyam getting married emerges on social media
Meanwhile, videos and photos of Satyam dressed as a groom and sitting in a temple have emerged on social media. He could be seen performing marriage rituals with a woman who was dressed as a bride. An old man, presumably a Pandit, could be seen chanting mantras.
What is Pakadua Vyah?
Pakadua Vyah, or forced marriage, is a tradition that has been rampant in several areas of Bihar. It is usually done by families who cannot afford a dowry. During the 1970s, the tradition had started, and it became a major headache for the authorities. Eligible bachelors are kidnapped and forced to marry women. The “groom” is often kept with the family of the bride till he accepts the woman as his wife. The tradition was curbed by the authorities, but such reports of ‘Pakadua Vivah’ often emerge every now and then.