Assam Child Marriage Crackdown Leads to 2,000 Arrests, Tension Rises in Dhubri
Government’s recent action against Assam child marriage. On Saturday, 2,257 individuals were taken into custody as part of the government’s crackdown efforts.
On Saturday, numerous women in Assam came together to protest the arrest of their family members, as the government initiated a major crackdown on child marriages. In Dhubri district, the police used lathi-charge to disperse the women who had gathered at the Tamarha Police Station to demand the release of their loved ones.
Assam Child Marriage Crackdown
As announced by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, the crackdown is slated to last for the next six days, and as of now, 2,257 individuals have been taken into custody. Women like Niroda Doley, a 55-year-old resident of Majuli district, expressed their concerns over the impact of these arrests on their livelihood, asking, “Why take only the men? How will we and or our children survive? We have no means of income.”
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Another woman from Barpeta district, who chose to remain anonymous, questioned the arrest of her husband in connection with her son’s elopement with a minor. Monowara Khatoon of Morigaon similarly expressed her worries, saying, “My daughter-in-law was 17 when she got married. Now she is 19 and five months pregnant. Who will look after her?”
What Assam Government launched for “Assam Child Marriage”?
The Assam government has launched a major crackdown on child marriages with over 2,000 individuals arrested and 4,004 cases registered thus far. The police have a list of 8,000 individuals and plan to continue the drive. In addition to this, 51 religious leaders who performed such weddings have also been taken into custody.
Out of the arrests made so far, the highest number of 137 individuals were apprehended in Biswanath district, followed by 126 in Dhubri, 120 in Baksa, 114 in Barpeta, and 96 in Kokrajhar.
Recently, the state cabinet made the decision to book those who have married girls under 14 years of age under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and file cases under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 for those who have married girls within the age group of 14-18 years.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has emphasized the need for zero tolerance towards this heinous crime against women and directed the police to act accordingly. Assam has a high rate of maternal and infant mortality, with child marriages being the primary cause as it is estimated that on average, 31% of marriages in the state fall within the prohibited age range.
