23-year-old Bihar teacher ‘kidnapped and forcibly married off’; rescued by police later
PATNA,DEC 1: Barely a week after the Patna High Court declared ‘pakarua vivah’ (forced marriage) as null and void, a 23-year-old teacher was kidnapped from his school and subsequently married off at gunpoint in Bihar’s Vaishali district.
Gautam Kumar, a teacher posted at Government middle school, Repura under Patepur block in Vaishali district, was kidnapped at gunpoint from his school on Wednesday by a man named Rajesh Rai and his hired goons.
Gautam, a native of Mahaiya village near Malpur under Patepur block, was appointed as a teacher recently through the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC).
He was forcibly married to Chandani Kumari, daughter of Rajesh Rai, who runs a brick kiln near Patepur block headquarters.
The victim’s grandfather Rajendra Rai lodged a complaint with Patepur police station in connection with the kidnapping of his grandson. The principal of the school where Gautam works at had also informed the police about the incident. The victim’s grandfather has accused five persons — Rajesh Rai, Bhushan Rai, Binod Rai, Dabloo Rai, and Pramod Rai, all residents of Repura village, of kidnapping Gautam in an SUV at gunpoint.
Gautam’s family members accompanied by local residents blocked Tajpur-Mahua road in protest against his kidnapping and demanded he be freed. Traffic remained paralyzed for several hours due to the road blockade.
On Thursday, a police team raided Rajesh Rai’s house and rescued the teacher.
Patepur station house officer (SHO) said that the teacher had been saved by the police. “He will be produced in the court to get his statement recorded under section 164 of CrPC,” he added.
A division bench of Justice P B Bajanthri and Justice Arun Kumar Jha last week declared ‘pakarua vivah’ null and void while hearing a petition filed on behalf of Ravi Kant, an army constable.
The man, a native of Ravra village in Nawada district, had been kidnapped at gunpoint when he had gone to Ashok Dham temple in Lakhisarai district and married off. The marriage was solemnised on June 30, 2013 at Chauki village under Kashichak police station in Lakhisarai district.
The marriage of Ravi Kant was then declared null and void after 10 years.
-The New Indian Express
