Assam: Child marriage attempt foiled in Barpeta, Qazi along with groom arrested

Assam Police on January 27 arrested four persons for arranging child marriage in the Barpeta district of Assam.

Four persons including a groom and a Qazi (Imam) have been arrested for allegedly conducting child marriage in the Barpeta district of Assam.

The incident has been reported from the Kurbaha area of Barpeta.

According to the police, 29-year-old Sanuar Hussain hailing from the Gubardhana area near Barpeta had planned to marry a 16-year-old minor girl.

"The groom along with Qazi and other persons reached Kurbaha village to marry the minor girl on Thursday," an official familiar with the matter said.

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"After receiving the information, our team reached the spot and rescued the minor girl. We also apprehended four persons including the groom, his father and Qazi for arranging the child marriage. We handed over the minor girl to Sakhi-One Stop Centre Scheme," the official said.

Meanwhile, a case has been registered in regard to the incident.

On the other hand, as per the survey of National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5) in Assam around 11.7 per cent of woman/minor has conceived and given birth to a child, which proves that the role of child marriage is dominant in certain parts of the state.

Diving further deep into the data, Dhubri district registered 22 per cent of women/girls gave birth at an early stage of life.

Notably, in South Salmara the data claimed 22 per cent of women became mothers at an early age, in Darrang 16 per cent, Kamrup 15 per cent, in Hojai 15.6 per cent, Bongaigaon 15.4 per cent, Nagaon 15 per cent and Barpeta 14 per cent which accounts the rate of child marriage in the prohibited age which the law do not permits.

The most concerning part are the highest among all districts is said to be Dhubri which registers around 50.8 per cent and 44 per cent registered in South Salmara, Darrang 42 per cent, Nagaon 42 per cent, Goalpara 41 per cent, Bongaigoan 41 per cent, Barpeta 40 per cent, Morigain 39 per cent and Dima Hasao 15 per cent.

On the other hand, district such as Jorhat and Sivasagar which is regarded as forward districts also recorded a child marriage of 24 per cent.

The average of child marriage as per the National Family Health Survey - 5 stands at 31 per cent.

Addressing a presser Assam Chief Minister asserted that the prime factor of the death of infants and mothers could be termed child marriage.

"The state cabinet has decided whichever girls are made to get married and are under 14 years of age, a case will be registered under the POSCO act," said Assam CM.

Further, for any child marriage which takes place at the age of 14 years- 18 years punishment will be given under Sections 15-16 from 2 years onwards, depending on the severity of the case. The marriage shall be called null and void.

Hence any cases related to those below 14 years will be registered under POSCO Act and cases related to the age group from 14-18 years will be registered under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006.