(With inputs from PTI)
Assam government has begun its massive crackdown on child marriage on Friday, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma declared on micro blogging platform Twitter.
He also informed that police have so far arrested over 1800 violators across the state in just a couple of hours’ time.
On Thursday, Sarma had said that Police have registered 4,004 cases of child marriage in less than a fortnight and that his government will be launching the operation on Friday on child marriage, arresting offenders and also undertaking extensive awareness campaigning.
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
The CM had earlier said that those having married girls below 14 years of age will be booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, and cases under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 will be registered against those who have married girls in the 14-18 years age group.
The offenders will be arrested, and the marriages will be declared illegal.
If the boy is also below 14 years of age, he will be sent to a reform house as minors cannot be tried in the court.
Sarma chaired a virtual meeting with the superintendents of police in the presence of Director General of Police G P Singh on the state-wide police action.
He appealed to the people to extend support and cooperation to “rid the state of the evil practice”.
Read more: Women should embrace motherhood at appropriate age: Himanta
Assam has a high rate of maternal and infant mortality, with child marriage being the primary cause as an average of 31 per cent of marriages registered in the state are in the prohibited age, according to reports of the National Family Health Survey.
Of the 4,004 cases of child marriage registered recently, the highest was reported in Dhubri (370), followed by Hojai (255) and Udalguri (235). Hailakandi district in Barak Valley registered only one case.
