Chittorgarh (Rajasthan): In a shocking incident, a couple was abducted, and severely beaten allegedly by the wife’s family members, demanding money for Nata Vivah (elopement marriage) in the Bichhor area.
On September 25, at least 12 people forcefully entered a house and took away the couple to the forest area of Kannauj. They were later tied up with a rope and beaten.
The victims alleged that they were even forced to drink urine when they asked for water.
After the assault, the accused persons abandoned the couple in distraught condition in Begu, where some people shifted them to Chittorgarh Hospital for treatment.
Parsoli Police Station In-Charge Prem Singh told ETV Bharat that the police have taken cognizance of the incident and started a manhunt to nab the culprits.
He said that the matter was linked to a complaint filed in January about a missing woman, later found to have eloped for a Nata Vivah (elopement marriage).
The husband alleged that his in-laws demanded money for the Nata Vivah. He alleged that two days before the incident, his brother was also kidnapped but let go after negotiations failed. Later, they planned the latest abduction move.
About Nata Vivah Tradition
The practice, prevalent in some tribal clans in Rajasthan, permits a wife to live independently from her husband and with another man. This is called Nata. There are no formal rituals necessary for this but only mutual consent exists. This practice is very comparable to modern-day live-in partnerships. It is still thought that Nata Pratha's objective was to let widows and abandoned women participate in society.
