Launching a massive crackdown on child marriage, Assam Police have arrested over 1800 accused so far across the state. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma informed on Twitter today that 1800+ people have been arrested so far for violating provisions of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act.
State wide arrests are presently underway against those violating provisions of Prohibhiton of Child Marriage Act .
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) February 3, 2023
1800 + have been arrested so far.
I have asked @assampolice to act with a spirit of zero tolerance against the unpardonable and heinous crime on women
“I have asked Assam Police to act with a spirit of zero tolerance against the unpardonable and heinous crime on women,” the CM further added. It is notable that Assam police have registered 4004 cases of child marriage in the state, and it is expected that most of the arrests will be completed in three days.
Giving a district-wise break up of cases filed, Himanta Biswa Sarma informed yesterday that action on the cases will begin from February 3, and accordingly, police started arresting people named in the cases from last night itself. The CM also informed that more cases are likely to be filed by the police in the coming days.
Assam Govt is firm in its resolve to end the menace of child marriage in the state.
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) February 2, 2023
So far @assampolice has registered 4,004 cases across the state and more police action is likely in days ahead. Action on the cases will begin starting February 3. I request all to cooperate. pic.twitter.com/JH2GTVLhKJ
According to the data provided by the CM, among the 4004 cases, the largest number, 370, has been registered in the Dhubri district. Following that are 255 in Hojai, 235 in Uddalguri, 224 in Morigaon, 204 in Kokrajhar, and 192 in Guwahati. Hailakandi has the lowest case with just 1.
Speaking to the media earlier in the day, CM Sarma said, “Till 8 am today, a total of 1800 people have been arrested in connection to child marriage-related cases in various districts of the state. The police will continue extensive statewide operations in the next three to four days. The exact details on the arrests will be further clarified by the DGP in the evening.”
The crackdown on child marriage was started after the Assam govt in a January 23 cabinet meeting announced that strict measures will be implemented across the state to keep a check on the spike in child marriages in the state. The government had said that legal action against men who marry girls below 14 years of age would be initiated under the POCSO Act and the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act. Similarly, action will be taken under the prevention of child marriage act in cases where the age of the bride is between 14 and 18 years.
In today’s #AssamCabinet, we took a slew of decisions pertaining to curbing child marriage, reduction of IMR & MMR, promoting police personnel permanently injured in the line of duty, recognition to services of contractual teachers, creating centres for sporting excellence, etc. pic.twitter.com/BsRRYcCd3H
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) January 23, 2023
The cabinet also decided to designate all 2,197 Gram Panchayat Secretaries to as ‘child Marriage Prevention (Prohibition) officers’ under The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 to reduce Infant Mortality Rate & Maternal Mortality Rates and prevent child marriages in rural areas. The CM said that the move was based on a thorough discussion of the National Family Health Survey (NHFS) 5 by the state government.
Ahead of the start of the police action, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday night chaired a video-conference meeting with senior officials of the police department, including Superintendents of Police of all districts, regarding the police actions that would be launched state-wide from today onwards against the practice of child marriage in the state.
The Chief Minister appealed to the people to support the government’s action to rid the state of the evil practice of child marriage. He has also stated that the police will book everyone who has engaged in child marriage in the previous seven years, with a specific emphasis on “mullahs, Kazis, and pujaris” who perform these weddings.
Talking about the 4004 cases filed so far, he said, “these many cases have been registered within nine days; by tomorrow this number might cross 8,000 or 9,000. From Friday, our arrests and action will begin. People will be picked up from across the state. It will be a massive action… All the people who were involved in child marriage in the last seven years will be booked retrospectively. Our main targets will be the mullahs, kazis or pujaris who encourage these marriages,” he said on February 2.
Even though Dhubri and Morigaon are Muslim-majority districts, while Hojai and Nalbari house significantly huge Muslim populations, Sarma maintained his prior declaration that the crackdown will not be directed against any specific community. “Action will be taken against everyone, regardless of caste, creed, or religion,” he stated.
Even as Assam police started nabbing people accused in child marriage cases, some people attempted to flee from the state. 58 people heading towards Kerala in a bus were detained by the police in Rupahi. Similarly, many Qazis accused of performing the marriage of minors have disappeared from several places.
