Bihar Teacher Kidnapped, Forced To Marry Abductor's Daughter At Gunpoint In Vaishali

Gautam Kumar, a teacher at the Government Middle school in Repura, was kidnapped from his classroom on Wednesday at gunpoint by a guy called Rajesh Rai and his hired henchmen.

Representational Image. (File Photo)

A 23-year-old teacher was kidnapped from his classroom and married off at gunpoint in Bihar's Vaishali district, only a week after the Patna High Court declared 'pakarua vivah' (forced marriage) null and unlawful, news agency IANS reported. Gautam Kumar, a teacher at the Government Middle school in Repura, Patepur block, Vaishali district, was kidnapped from his classroom on Wednesday at gunpoint by a guy called Rajesh Rai and his hired henchmen.

Gauram Kumar Rai, the victim, had recently completed the Bihar Public Service Commission Examination (BPSC) and had been recruited as a teacher at a government middle school in Repura village, which is part of the Patepur police station in the district.

On Wednesday afternoon, he was inside the school when five to six armed men entered in an SUV, abducted him at gunpoint, transported him to an unknown location, and forced him to marry Chandni Kumari, Rajesh Rai's daughter.

He was compelled to marry Chandani Kumari, the daughter of Rajesh Rai, who owns a brick kiln near the Patepur block headquarters.

Rajendra Rai, the victim's grandpa, filed a complaint with the Patepur police station in connection with his grandson's kidnapping the New Indian Express reported. The incident was also reported to the police by the principal of the school where Gautam works. The victim's grandpa has accused five Repura village residents — Rajesh Rai, Bhushan Rai, Binod Rai, Dabloo Rai, and Pramod Rai — of kidnapping Gautam in an SUV at gunpoint.

Gautam's family members, backed by local citizens, protested his kidnapping and requested that he be released. Due to the road blockage, traffic was halted for several hours.

A police crew invaded Rajesh Rai's residence on Thursday and freed the instructor.

The police, according to Patepur station house officer (SHO), saved the instructor. "He will be produced in the court to get his statement recorded under section 164 of CrPC," he was quoted by The New Indian Express in its report. 

While hearing a case on behalf of Ravi Kant, an army constable, a division bench of Justice P B Bajanthri and Justice Arun Kumar Jha pronounced 'pakarua vivah' null and void last week.