Assam: 1,039 arrested in second phase of crackdown against child marriages

More than 1,039 people were arrested on Tuesday in the second phase of a state-wide crackdown against child marriages in Assam, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. 

During the first round of the drive earlier this year, thousands were held across the state. 

"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," Sarma said on X. He said the number of arrests in cases related to the social menace is likely to rise as the operation is still underway. 

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On September 11, Sarma told the Assam Assembly that a total of 3,907 people were arrested in cases related to child marriages in the last five years, of whom 3,319 are facing charges under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (POCSO).

According to sources, Assam Police carried out raids in multiple locations of Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon and Dhubri on October 2. 

A total of 24 people were arrested from Gossaigaon, Serfanguri, Kachugaon, and Bogoribari in Kokrajhar. 39 people were arrested from Bongaigaon and 191 were arrested in Dhubri district.

Dhubri reported the maximum number of arrests with 42 arrests made in Golakganj, 7 in Agomoni, 12 arrests in Tamarhat, 42 arrested in Gouripur, 36 in Bilasipara, 11 arrested in Sapatgram and 6 in Chapar.