Assam: Child marriage victim rescued in Barpeta, one arrested

Under-age marriages have not come down in minority-dominated areas in the state despite the relevant Act and measures. At the time when Government and various other organizations are creating awareness through campaigns and advertisement against child marriage, an incident at Sonkuchi of Barpeta district has raised eyebrows in the region. 

A minor girl was rescued on July 27, as she was forced to marry by her family. But the child line worker in collaboration with Barpeta police rescued the minor girl, daughter of Saeed Ali of Barpeta Sankushi village. 

The incident took place in just 2 km away from the child line worker office in ward number 15, in Sonkuchi, Barpeta. 

It is to be mentioned here that the police have taken the minor girl into custody and sent her to a Children’s home, while the accused father Saeed Ali has been arrested. 
Previously, many such incidents were recorded in that area, which is actually a minority-dominated location with less educated people. 

Child marriage usually refers to a social malaise practiced in some societies in India, where a young child (usually a girl below the age of fifteen) is married to an adult man. The second form of practice of child marriage is that in which the parents of the two children (the girl and boy) arrange a future marriage. In this practice, the individuals (the boy and girl) do not meet one another until they reach the marriageable age, when the wedding ceremony is performed. As per law, the marriageable age is 21 for males and 18 for females.

Gender inequality, social norms, perceived low status of girls, poverty, lack of education, safety concerns about girl children and control over sexuality are considered to be reasons for prevalence of child marriages even in the 21st century. The female child in rural areas are more affected than their urban counterparts.