It started innocently: Kamal Kumar Rai from the village promised a good cow in Kanhaiyachak. They roamed several villages before arriving at Sirajpur, where Munnayam’s phone was confiscated. Refusing to stay, he faced a gang who beat him and forced the nuptials with Kundun Kumari under duress.

Parbatta police swung into action after family reports and a circulating clip of the ceremony. They freed the victim hours later. While Munnayam stands firm on his account of threats and violence, the girl’s side counters that love blossomed mutually, with prior visits proving familiarity.

Kundun claims the complaint is baseless, pressured by relatives. Investigators are now scrutinizing the video for clues. This ‘pakdaua vivah’ – a notorious rural practice – raises alarms about women’s safety and marital consent in Bihar’s hinterlands.

Experts call for awareness campaigns and stricter laws. As tensions simmer between families, the case underscores the urgent need to dismantle archaic customs threatening personal freedoms.