A male wedding guest in India’s Nalanda district of Bihar State was kidnapped at gun point from a ceremony and forced to marry a woman, an international media website reported on Saturday.
Vinod Kumar, an engineer by profession, was hauled away and thrashed before pistols were pointed at him to marry a stranger against his consent.
A shocking video of the forced marriage emerged on the social media. The 26-year-old helpless groom could be seen begging his kidnappers for release.
“Shut up, we are not hanging you but solemnizing your marriage,” one of the kidnappers could be heard as saying in the footage.
According to media reports, the ritual of forcible marriage is known as ‘Pakadua Vivah’ in Bihar district of India, which is often carried out by low-income families which could not afford heavy dowry costs.
Talking to media later, the hapless groom said he was befriended by the girl’s family members and asked to step out of his friend’s wedding before his marriage against his own will.
“They took me to a home where I was forcibly asked to marry a stranger,” an international news website quoted him as saying. He lamented that he was married to a girl whom he had never seen before.
Police have launched a probe into the incident, in Mokama, Patna, according to the media reports.
Warning: This video contains content that some viewers may find disturbing.
