Over 1,800 Arrested As Assam Begins Massive Crackdown On Child Marriages

The Assam government on Friday, February 3, began its crackdown on child marriages in the State. According to CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, police have already arrested more than 1800 people for violating provisions of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act. 

Taking to Twitter, Sarma wrote, “State wide arrests are presently underway against those violating the provisions of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act. 1800+ have been arrested so far. I have asked @assampolice to act with spirit of zero tolerance against the unpardonable and heinous crime on women (sic)."

State wide arrests are presently underway against those violating provisions of Prohibhiton of Child Marriage Act .

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
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) February 3, 2023
 

Police are investigating more than 4,000 cases of child marriage registered across Assam in less than a fortnight. 

Earlier, Sarma tweeted, “Assam Govt is firm in its resolve to end the menace of child marriage in the state. 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 (sic).”

Assam Govt is firm in its resolve to end the menace of child marriage in the state. 

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
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) February 2, 2023
 

On January 23, the Assam Cabinet approved a crackdown on child marriages as the National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5) carried out between 2019 and 2020 showed that percentage of women aged between 20 and 24 married before the legal age of 18 in the state was 31.8 per cent, compared to the national figure of 23.3 per cent.