Dhubri: A statewide overnight crackdown on child marriage led to the arrest of 98 people across Assam, including 64 in Dhubri district and 34 others in Nagaon, Boko, Chhaygaon and Bongaigaon. The operation targeted people allegedly linked to child marriages in line with the govt’s intensified enforcement drive against the practice, police said on Tuesday.The arrested people included parents, other family members and qazis.According to police sources, 18 people were arrested under Dhubri Sadar police station, eight under Gauripur, 15 under Golakganj, one under Agomoni, two under Tamarhat, eight under Bilasipara, five under Chapor and seven under Fakirganj police station areas.Police said those arrested were allegedly linked to child marriages. The specific nature of each person’s alleged involvement has not been disclosed.Meanwhile, Bilasipara police reportedly conducted a separate operation in different parts of the subdivision and arrested eight more people for their alleged involvement in child marriage.Bilasipara police station officer-in-charge Biswajit Bhadra said eight people had been arrested and that the operation was continuing in the subdivision.Around 34 people were also reportedly arrested in Nagaon, Boko, Chhaygaon and Bongaigaon, according to police sources in Bongaigaon and Boko.“More people involved in the illegal practice will be arrested and put behind bars soon,” Bhadra said.The arrested people were being questioned at the respective police stations. According to the available information, they would be produced before a court in due course. Details of the specific allegations, the roles of the accused and the legal action initiated against them were not immediately available.Assam govt and police have undertaken several measures in recent years to prevent child marriage and protect the rights and safety of minors. The latest crackdown in Dhubri comes amid renewed efforts to strengthen enforcement against the practice.A senior Dhubri police officer said the drive against child marriage would continue until all those already identified by the police had been arrested.An advocate at the Dhubri court said an official police statement detailing the allegations and subsequent legal proceedings was awaited.
