In gloomy voice, Bihar groom professes joy

PATNA: A man who was persuaded to marry his girlfriend under police supervision in Bhagalpur town of Bihar after they were found together in a hotel, sounded crestfallen when HT spoke to him on Thursday.

“Has an FIR been instituted against me?” was the first question the newly wedded man had for this reporter, after he came on the line on his cell phone with considerable reluctance. The air of gloom permeating his voice did not go away even after he was informed that no case had been instituted against him.

Two couples were found to have checked into the hotels with fake identities.

“My decision to marry the girl on Tuesday was not taken under any pressure. I am happy to be married,” the man told HT, even though the tone of voice betrayed little sign of happiness. Inquiries by HT revealed the fear of criminal cases for checking into a hotel by misrepresenting their identities and a ‘threat’ from the girls’ side had played a decisive role in persuading the two boys to go for a wedding.

“In the case of one cou- ple, the girl had threatened to lodge a case claiming the boy had forced himself upon her. That would have invited a criminal case under section 376 (rape) of the IPC”, said a police source.

Out of the two couples found by the Bhagalpur police, HT had spoken to one of the men. Both the couples were married at the local temple under police supervision, in the presence of their close relatives.

The twin weddings took place on Tuesday at the Kupeshwarnath Annapurna temple in Bhagalpur.