Officials say nearly 5,000 people have been arrested due to a crackdown on illegal child marriages in northeastern India.
In the latest police operation, 416 persons were arrested, bringing the total to 4,800 arrests.
Assam’s chief minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, stated, “We will keep taking decisive action to eradicate this social evil.”
He added, “Assam continues its fight against child marriage,” referring to nocturnal searches and the court processes for people who were detained.
UN data shows that even though more than 220 million child brides exist in India. The number of child marriages has dramatically decreased this century.
Assam has been running abolition drives since February 2023. These campaigns targeted officials and parents who are participating in child weddings. In the wake of this move, Sarma wants to make child marriages illegal entirely in the state by 2026.
Although 18 is the legal marriage age in India, many children are married before 18 in poor rural regions.
Parents often get married to ensure their security, which has serious effects on young brides.
Many school-going girls become dropouts after getting married, and the danger of early pregnancies and domestic activities is a health threat to them.
In 2017, the supreme court of India ruled that sexual intercourse with a minor wife constitutes rape, a decision that activists welcomed.
