Over 1,000 held in second phase of crackdown against child marriage in Assam

Courts have so far convicted only 62 people in cases against child marriage.

More than 1,000 people were arrested on Tuesday in the second phase of a state-wide crackdown against child marriage 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," Mr. Sarma said on X.

Later, he said that the arrest figure has gone up to 1,039.

Mr. Sarma said the number of arrests in cases related to the social menace is likely to rise as the operation is still underway.

The Assam government launched a crackdown against child marriage from February, with over 3,500 people arrested against around 4,300 FIRs, after the chief minister had announced a zero-tolerance policy against the social evil.

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