The Bihar police on Saturday rescued Kanchan Mishra, who had been forced to marry a gangster, Sultan Mian, in December last year.

The two were found in Siwan district. Her husband was arrested.

According to the police, Mian wedded Mishra [who was already twice-married] at a mosque in Mainpura locality in Patna on November 6, 2002. It said there was no evidence of force, because even her mother, Suchitra Devi, had not filed a complaint.

The National Commission for Women took notice of the case and on December 16, a team led by its Chairperson, Purnima Advani, came to Patna. Advani held discussions with senior officers, including the then director general police, R R Prasad, and asked them to trace Mishra.

Devi appeared before the commission along with Mishra's 10-month-old son. She said she did not know where her daughter was.

Mian was also wanted in connection with cases of murder and abduction.