Woman Abducted From Field By 30 People In Madhya Pradesh, Police Probe 'Beja' Custom Dispute Angle
A video of the abduction has surfaced, triggering questions on women's safety, and police have launched a probe.
Published : July 8, 2026 at 6:17 PM IST
Barwani: A young woman was allegedly abducted from a field by a group of 25 to 30 men, reportedly as a fallout of a dispute that arose over the 'Beja Pratha', prevalent in the tribal community in Madhya Pradesh's Barwani district.
A video of the incident has surfaced, triggering serious questions on law and order and women's safety in the district. ETV Bharat has not verified the authenticity of the video.
Police said no formal complaint has been lodged by either side but a team has been sent to the village to probe into the matter. Preliminary reports suggest that the woman's family had received Rs 2 lakh from the groom for a marriage agreement but had not sent her to her in-laws' house. This resulted in a dispute between the families and a group of men came to the village to abduct her.
The video shows a woman, who was working in the field, being dragged onto a bike, and speeding away. Bystanders are seen watching the incident unfold and some recording videos.
According to eyewitnesses, the incident occurred on the afternoon of July 7 in Indrapur village under Rajpur police station area.
Police said, it has been learnt that the woman was betrothed to Hukum Rawat, a resident of Nihali village, and in accordance with the 'Beja' custom, the groom's side had paid around Rs 2 lakh to the woman's family but the latter was refusing to send her to the in-laws's house. Stemming from this dispute, Hukum Rawat arrived in Indrapur village with 25 to 30 associates and forcibly took her away from the field.
Rajpur police station in-charge Madhav Singh Thakur said, "No written complaint has been lodged by either party regarding this matter so far. Nevertheless, treating the video seriously, a police team has been dispatched to the village. The police are investigating the authenticity of the video, the circumstances of the incident, and the facts related to both parties."
Madhya Pradesh Tribal Development Council has raised concern over the incident and demanded an impartial investigation into the matter.
Rahul Solanki, district president of the council and a Janpad member, said, "If the incident shown in the viral video is genuine, it raises serious questions regarding law and order and the safety of women. Police should conduct an impartial investigation and reveal the facts within 24 hours to prevent further confusion. It should be ensured that appropriate action is taken against those guilty".
The 'Beja' custom is considered an old social tradition among certain tribal communities in the Nimar region. Under this, a union formed through marriage or cohabitation based on the mutual consent of a couple receives social recognition. Subsequently, the relationship is formally accepted through a mutual agreement in the presence of both families and community elders. In many instances, financial transactions or social penalties are also determined.
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