The state-wide crackdown against child marriage continues in full swing as the Assam police on Tuesday, 3rd October, arrested more than 800 accused persons.
Giving details, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma wrote on X, “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.”
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.
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) October 3, 2023
The number of arrests is likely to rise.
A few hours later, CM Sarma revealed the updated numbers regarding the arrests and wrote on X, “The number now stands at 1,039.”
The number now stands at 1,039. https://t.co/RTAOh3slWj
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) October 3, 2023
The Additional Superintendent of Police of Morigaon District, Samiran Baishya, said the operation against child marriage started in Morigaon District last night. Under the special operation, police have arrested 34 people in Cachar district, 20 in Kamrup and parts of Barpeta district, and 34 in Morigaon district, as reported by ANI.
“So far, we have arrested 34 people during this operation and registered 26 cases. Our operation is still on. After launching the first leg of the operation against child marriage, people are now aware of it,” Samiran Baishya told ANI.
It is worth noting that the Assam government led by CM Himanta Biswa Sarma has been actively working to eradicate child marriages from the state. In February this year, it was reported that the state police arrested over 3,000 people as a part of its crackdown on child marriages. As per ANI, in the initial phase of this operation, Assam Police had already arrested approximately 5,000 individuals, including 15 clerics suspected of involvement in child marriages.
Reaffirming his government’s resolve to end the menace of child marriages, CM Sarma had earlier this year said that severe measures in this regard have been taken and by the end of 2026, the government aims to eradicate child marriages from the state. CM Sarma had informed that an operation will be launched against the menace of child marriages in the state and arrest people every 2-3 months.
It is pertinent to recall that on January 23 of this year, the cabinet passed legislation to outlaw child marriages in the state. The chief minister had announced that his administration would launch a statewide drive against child marriage under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
The state government also allocated a budget of Rs 200 crore to handle the sensitive issue and enabled the appointment of a special attorney for each case involving child marriage to prosecute the criminals.
The Assam CM had earlier said that over 1 lakh minor girls were married off in recent years and that many of them became child mothers.
CM Sarma had announced that the police would take action against the families and priests or Qazis involved in performing illegal marriages in the state. In February this year, around 60 Qazis were arrested for their alleged involvement in conducting child marriages. Moreover, in September this year, the Assam police arrested 17 persons who were masquerading as qazis in the Hailakandi region.
