Assam police arrest 431 in III phase of child marriage crackdown, Dhubri leads with 68

Guwahati, Dec 22: The Assam Police, in the third phase of its ongoing crackdown on child marriage, have arrested a staggering 431 individuals and registered 345 cases across the state.

Addressing a press conference at the Assam Police Headquarters on Sunday, Additional Director General of Police (CID) Munna Prasad Gupta provided detailed insights into the state-wide operation that began in the early hours of December 22.

Of the 36 districts where the operation was carried out, Dhubri recorded the highest number of arrests, with 68 individuals in custody. Dhubri Sadar reported 17 arrests, followed by Bilasipara with 16, Gauripur with 13, Golakganj with 10, Tamarhat with 3, and Agomoni with 4.

Barpeta district followed with 52 arrests, while South Salmara recorded 42. Other notable arrests included seven individuals from Bajali, apprehended during a focused operation spearheaded by the Sarupeta Police.

In a continued effort to eradicate child marriage, the police have arrested accused husbands, family members, and two qazis involved in solemnising the marriages.

Reflecting on the operation’s progress, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, said, “On Independence Day 2021, after unfurling the National Flag, I promised the people of Assam that by 2026, we’ll eradicate child marriage from Assam. In the first phase, we arrested almost 5,000 individuals, and gradually the number of arrests reduced to around 2,000 in the second phase. Yesterday night, we conducted the third phase of operations, where more than 400 individuals were arrested.”

Highlighted the state’s dual approach to the issue - combining stringent enforcement with welfare initiatives, he said, “While on one hand, we are being tough and taking strong steps against child marriage, on the other, through Nijut Moina and other similar schemes, we are ensuring minor girls get proper education and a good lifestyle for a better future. I believe that we can completely eradicate child marriage from Assam by 2026,” he reiterated.

Highlighting the campaign's success, ADGP Gupta shared that in February last year, 4,387 cases were registered with 3,425 arrests, while in October 2023, 682 cases resulted in 913 arrests.

“More than 95% of these cases have seen chargesheets filed,” he said, indicating a robust judicial process. The efforts have also contributed to a decline in Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) and Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) in the state, he added.