Guwahati: The Assam police have registered 4,004 child marriage cases across the state and more action will be taken against the menace.
“Assam Govt is firm in its resolve to end the menace of child marriage in the state. So far @assampolice has registered 4,004 cases across the state and more police action is likely in days ahead. Action on the cases will begin starting February 3. I request all to cooperate,” Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma tweeted.
Speaking to media persons, Assam Chief minister said, “In last 20 years, no discussion on child marriage subject. I have attended many internal and external meetings but no discussion had happended on this particular subject. After the discussion on IMR-MMR, the child marriage subject has been gain importance. This has been ignited from NFHS survey report,”.
“Police is ready and from tomorrow, we will pick up people and integorate them and try to break the entire modus operandi. Lots of marriages happened in Assam but they were living outside in Assam. Child marriage is a crime and we are ready to crackdown the cases. After my announcement We have foiled 9-10 cases of child marriage in Assam. We have detected the cases from Barpeta district. Public is coming out and most heartening fact is that various people of minority community is coming out. Opposition MLAs is also supporting us in this case,” he said.
Number of cases registered in Assam against child marriage are Bajali 132, Balsa 153, Barpeta 81, Biswanath 98, Bongaigaon 123, Cachar 35, Charaideo 78,Chirrang 54, Commissionerate 192Darrang 125, Dhemaji 101, Dhubri 370Dibrugarh 75, Dima Hasao 24, Goalpara 157, Golaghat 62, Hailakandi 1, Hamren 15, Hojai 255, Jorhat 25,Kamrup 80, Karbi-Anglong 126, Karimganj 92, Kokrajhar 204, Lakhimpur 32, Majuli 44Morigaon 224, Nagaon 113, Nalbari 171Sadiya 85, Sivasagar 54, Sonitpur 60, South Salmara 145, Tamulpur 110, Tinsukia 73, Udalguri 235.
Earlier, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “The main reason for high infant mortality rate and Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) is child marriage. The state has an average of 31 per cent marriages in the prohibited age,”.
“There are over one lakh child marriage cases and police in next 15 days will lunch crackdown and take legal action. Around 11.07 women have to bear children in the non-permitted age. This shows child marriage is happening alarmingly,” Sarma stated.
Sarma also said the government has decided to try male marrying females below 14 years of age under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO)Act.