Assam: Married couple with child re-wed at Dhubri mass ceremony, triggering probe

A mass marriage ceremony held in Dhubri on Sunday, July 6, has triggered controversy after allegations emerged that a couple, already married with a child, participated again in the event as newlyweds.

The 7th edition of the mass marriage program, organised by the Kalibari Trustee Board, aimed to support underprivileged and differently-abled couples. However, the legitimacy of the event has come under scrutiny after it was revealed that a couple—identified as residents of the Golakganj municipal area—had previously married and are parents to a minor daughter.

Local residents and a social media user have accused a non-trustee individual, reportedly involved in the organising process, of facilitating the remarriage for personal publicity. The couple, whose names have been withheld for privacy reasons, reportedly received the same household gifts—such as furniture, utensils, and jewellery—typically reserved for first-time newlyweds.

Questions are now being raised about how the couple was included in the ceremony without proper verification. Previously, organisers claimed to have conducted thorough background checks on each bride and groom. But discrepancies in the current case have led to suspicions of inflated marriage counts and misuse of the event for social media attention.

Dipankar Majumder, a member of the mass marriage initiative launched six to seven years ago, distanced himself from the current scandal. In a phone interview, Majumder stated he had no role in this year’s event, claiming he was sidelined by another organiser, identified as Chowdhury, who he alleges now runs the program independently. Majumder also suggested the core values of the initiative were being compromised.

When contacted, the male participant in question confirmed that he and his partner were already married and had a child, directly contradicting the premise of being first-time newlyweds under the programme.

Members of the Kalibari Trustee Board said they were unaware of the couple’s prior marital status and claimed that all related documents were in the possession of Chowdhury. Meanwhile, community members are demanding clarity on how such a lapse occurred and under whose authority the re-marriage was conducted.