- A woman in Bihar was allegedly beaten by her parents in Bihar's Madhepura district for marrying by choice
- The alleged assault came to light after a video of the incident surfaced on social media
- The woman, identified as 22-year-old Pooja Kumari, had married a boy, named Bittu Kumar, 17, about a month ago
Dragged by her hair, beaten up and pinned down with a foot on her neck, this is how a young woman was allegedly treated by her parents in Bihar's Madhepura district for marrying by choice.
The alleged assault came to light after a video of the incident surfaced on social media, prompting police to step in and begin an investigation.
The incident took place in a village in Madhepura. The woman, identified as 22-year-old Pooja Kumari, had married a boy, named Bittu Kumar, 17, about a month ago. The two are reportedly related and live in close proximity to each other.
After the marriage came to light, tensions escalated between both families and villagers. A panchayat was convened to address the situation. During the meeting, the panchayat decided to separate the couple. It also imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on the boy's family, directing that the amount be paid to the girl's family.
According to reports, after the panchayat, the woman's parents persuaded her to return to her parental home from her in-laws' house. However, the situation took a violent turn soon after she reached home.
The alleged assault took place on June 8. In a video that later went viral on Saturday, the woman's mother is seen dragging her by the hair and throwing her to the ground, while her father is also seen beating her and pressing his foot on her neck. The incident is seen unfolding in the presence of villagers.
Video Triggers Police Intervention
The circulation of the video on social media led to widespread discussion in the area and brought the matter to the attention of the police. Acting on the information, the police intervened and took the woman into protective custody, bringing her to the police station.
Shankarpur Station House Officer Rajeev Kumar told NDTV over the phone that a written complaint has been received from the victim. He said that the police are currently investigating the matter based on the viral video and the complaint. Action will be taken against anyone found guilty as per the law.
(With inputs from Raman Kumar)
