Bihar jail turns wedding hall as inmate marries rape survivor, prisoners join as ‘baraatis’

Image generated by AI

A jail in Bihar’s Madhubani district witnessed an unusual scene on Tuesday when its premises turned into a wedding hall. An inmate, who had been accused of sexually exploiting his widowed sister-in-law, ended up marrying her inside the prison.

Instead of relatives, the witnesses were jail staff, and fellow inmates took on the role of ‘baratis’, The Times of India reported.

According to the officials, the arrangement for the ceremony was made by the jail administration after receiving directions from the court. Jail superintendent Om Prakash Shanti Bhushan said that necessary preparations were carried out to ensure the marriage could take place in accordance with the order. Staff members oversaw the rituals, while prisoners joined in as part of the celebrations.

Advocate Gagan Dev Yadav, who represented the accused, explained that the relationship between the two had developed after the death of the woman’s husband, the accused’s elder brother, in 2022. Over time, they grew closer and began living together. However, their bond took a complicated turn when a dispute led the woman to lodge a complaint against him on June 29, 2024, at the local Women’s Police Station. This resulted in the man’s judicial custody.

Later, the accused applied for bail in the Patna High Court. As part of the process, he sought permission from the lower court to marry the woman. Once approval was granted, the jail authorities organised the ceremony within the premises.