Expect big arrests at next drive against child marriage: Assam CM

Tinsukia (Assam) [India], September 3 (ANI): Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday announced that a crackdown against child marriage will be launched every six months, adding that "big arrests" were likely at the next drive later this month. 
Addressing the media persons on Saturday, the chief minister said he was hopeful that the scourge of child marriage will be rooted out from Assam by 2026.
"Our campaign against child marriage will take place every six months. The next drive will be launched this month. The police are doing their job and you will hear about some big arrests once the drive is launched," he added.
Earlier, in March, to a question from Congress MLA Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha in the state Assembly, the Assam CM said, "Our government has taken a series of steps to put an end to the menace."
"By 2026, child marriage in Assam will be a thing of the past. Our government will take strong action to end this scourge," the CM added.
"Our government has set aside Rs 200 crores for the campaign. The funds will enable us to appoint a special advocate in each case of child marriage. We want to ensure that all the accused are convicted," Sarma said.
"We will keep launching crackdowns against child marriage and apprehend accused persons every 2-3 months. We will open a helpline number as well, as part of our sustained drive against this practice. We have so far charge-sheeted 900 persons. We have acted as per law," the CM added.
He informed further that his government has also taken steps to raise public awareness against this menace.
"Our government will work to ensure proper rehabilitation of the victims through the provision of scholarships, education and rice and food grains free of cost. We'll do everything in our power to stamp out this menace by the law," Sarma said.
According to the state government, 50 persons were arrested in the state in 2017 under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, while another 106 persons were arrested in 2018, 156 persons in 2019, 216 in 2020, 166 in 2021, 257 in 2022, and 3,098 in first two months of this year. (ANI)