Woman files case against parents, husband for forced marriage

Patna, Oct 16 (IANS) A newly married Dalit woman in Bihar has filed a case against her parents and husband for forcing her into marriage, an official said here Wednesday.

Shabnam Kumari, in her 20s, filed the case early this week in the court of chief judicial magistrate in Begusarai district, about 125 km from here.

Shabnam, a resident of Bashi village in Begusarai, said in her complaint that she was married to Sagar Ram of Suro village this July against her wish. She alleged that her parents married her off after taking money from her husband.

After marriage, her husband pressured her to have sex with another man, Shabnam alleged, adding that she was assaulted and humiliated by Sagar Ram when she refused.

She informed her parents but they did not help. She then left her husband’s house and shifted to the house of a relative, who is also a friend.

After she fled from her husband’s house, her parents lodged a case of kidnapping against two men – Gagan Kumar and Santosh Ram. Both surrendered in court and were sent to jail last month.

Shabnam said in court Sep 25 that she was not kidnapped by the two. She also refused to live with her husband or parents and requested the court to allow her to live with her relative.

In the last few months over half a dozen cases have been reported from various villages of Bihar of brides refusing to marry unsuitable grooms who were illiterate, disabled or unemployed.

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