Assam: Man Arrested For Child Marriage In Hailakandi; Minor Girl, Infant Rescued

Hailakandi police have arrested a man involved in a shocking case of child marriage, leading to the liberation of a 15-year-old girl and an infant, believed to be their son.

Acting on intelligence inputs, a team of police conducted an operation and apprehended the accused man from his house located at Vichingcha village.

The arrested man has been identified as one Zakir Hussain. It is learned that the man had married the minor girl when she was just 12-years-old.

A case under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been registered against Hussain.

Earlier this year, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stressed that his government is committed to ending the menace of child marriage by 2026.

While replying to a question from Congress MLA Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha at the state assembly, he said, “Our government has taken a series of measures to end the menace. By 2026, child marriage must be ended in Assam. Our government will take strong action to end Child Marriage.”

“Our government has allocated Rs 200 crore for it in this budget so that we can appoint a special advocate against each Child Marriage case. We want to see everybody convicted,” he said.

“We will launch an operation against Child Marriage in the state and arrest people every 2-3 months. We will open a helpline number. We have so far charge sheeted 900 cases. We have acted as per law,” CM Sarma added.

Meanwhile, he said that the state government will work for the rehabilitation of victims by providing scholarships, free education, and free rice schemes.

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