Child marriages rampant in Assam, govt must take steps, says actor Rayya Labib, even as 1,793 people arrested across Assam in crackdown

MUMBAI: Responding to a report by news agency ANI that as many as 1,793 people involved in child marriages in the state of Assam have been apprehended, actor Rayya Labib who hails from Assam said the problem of child marriages is rampant in the state.

Rayya who is of Turkish-Iranian origin but was born and brought up in the North-Eastern state, said young girls as young at 12 years are married off in religious ceremonies in the State and the problem is very much prevalent even in urban areas of the state.

“Well-to-do and even educated families are involved in such activity, as the practice though illegal seems to have some superstitious local beliefs involved,” she claimed.

While speaking to ANI, Prasanta Kumar Bhuyan, Inspector General of Police (IGP) (L&O) and spokesperson of the Assam police said, “Till Friday morning, 1,793 persons have been arrested by police across the state.”

“Out of these, 131 persons have been arrested in Biswanath. The arrested persons’ figure might be increased. Operations are still on,” Prasanta Kumar Kumar Bhuyan added. The state-wide crackdown against child marriage was launched on Thursday night, following the directions of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, ANI reported.

Earlier, Guwahati Police Commissionerate on Friday said that as many as 53 people have been apprehended so far. Besides this, 192 cases related to child marriage have been registered at different police stations under the commissionerate, Whil two persons from the Moirabari area in the Morigaon district were arrested on Thursday night for marrying girls below 18 years, while six accused were apprehended from the Majuli district.

On the other hand, Dhubri district police have detained at least 96 persons for their alleged involvement in child marriages. Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday night chaired a video-conference meeting with senior officials of the police department, including Superintendents of Police of all districts, regarding the police actions that would be launched state-wide from today onwards against the practice of child marriage in the state.

The Chief Minister appealed to the people to support the government’s action to rid the state of the evil practice of child marriage.

Rayya Labib called upon all Assamese people to report child marriages in their localities and rid the State of this curse.

(With inputs from ANI)