Assam Police Arrests Over 800 In Massive Crackdown On Child Marriage

The Assam Police has arrested over 800 people in a massive crackdown on child marriage in the state.

Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma has informed that over 800 people have been arrested in a special operation against child marriage, adding that the number of arrest is likely to rise. ( Image Source :PTI )

Guwahati: Cracking the whip on child marriage, the Assam Police has arrested 800 people in a special operation which was carried out in different districts of the state in the wee hours on Tuesday.  Chief Minister Himanta Sarma informed about the development on X, adding that the number of arrests is likely to rise. 

"In a massive crackdown against child marriage, Assam Police has arrested over 800 accused persons in a special operation which began in the early hours of dawn. The number of arrests is likely to rise," CM Sarma tweeted. 

According to initial reports, most of the arrests were made in the state’s Dhubri district. At least 185 people were reportedly arrested in the lower Assam district. While 35 people were reportedly arrested from the Dhubri town area, 42 people were arrested in Golakganj, seven in Agomoni, 12 in Tamarhat, 42 in Gauripur, 30 in Bilasipara, 11 in Sapatgram and six in Chapar.

On the other hand, 46 people were reportedly arrested in Southern Assam's Karimganj district, 24 in Kokrajhar, 76 in Barpeta, 39 in South Salmara-Mankachar, five in Udalguri, 30 in Bajali, six in Sonitpur, 39 in Bongaigaon, 28 in Goalpara, six in Boko, five in Rangia, three in Baihata Chariali, and one each in Changsari and Kamalpur, all in the state’s Kamrup district.

Earlier, in a similar drive carried out against child marriage in February 2023, over 3,000 people, including “kazis” and priests, were arrested from different parts of the state, for their involvement in child marriages.

Chief Minister Sarma had then made it clear that such drives would be carried out in the state every six months until the menace of child marriage is completely wiped out by 2026. He said that whoever indulges in the act, will be charged with the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, and the provision of prohibition of child marriage

Earlier in March this year, the Assam government had announced to launch of the ‘Mission for Prevention of Child Marriage’ in the state with a budget of Rs 200 crore. The decision of the BJP-led state government came after child marriages in the state had become rampant.

State Finance Minister Ajanta Neog while presenting the state budget for the fiscal year 2023-24 on March 16, 2023, stated that child marriages are one of the main reasons for the high maternal and infant mortality rates in the state. She said that reining in child marriages has not only become a necessity but an urgency.