Police Arrest Fifteen In Assam's Hailakandi For Conducting Child Marriages

In Assam's Hailakandi district, authorities have apprehended fifteen individuals on allegations of orchestrating child marriages through the use of counterfeit documents. This development follows a complaint filed by a registered qazi who identified sixteen individuals posing as qazis, engaging in child marriage activities within the district. An operation was swiftly initiated in various parts of the district in response to this complaint.

Initially, all sixteen individuals were taken into custody, but one was subsequently released due to insufficient evidence, according to Additional SP Shamir Daptari Baruah. These arrests are linked to the accused individuals' involvement in organizing child marriages while using forged documents, PTI reported.

The arrests took place in several locations across Hailakandi district, including Hailakandi town, Panchgram, Katlicherra, Algapur, Lala, Ramnathpur, and Bilaipur. Following their apprehension, the arrested individuals were presented in court and subsequently placed in police custody for further questioning.

The state government's vigorous crackdown on child marriages in Assam began in February, leading to the arrest of more than 4,000 individuals. Recently, Assam's Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, declared in Guwahati that the government would recommence its campaign against child marriages in the state. Over the next ten days, authorities are set to apprehend approximately 2,000 to 3,000 men for violations related to child marriages.

Addressing the issue, Chief Minister Sarma emphasized the importance of eradicating child marriages, noting that it goes against established laws and contributes to the exploitation of daughters, hindering their progress.