Assam: Over 800 held in second phase of crackdown against child marriages

More than 800 people were arrested on Tuesday in the second phase of a state-wide crackdown against child marriages in Assam, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.During the first round of the drive earlier this year, thousands were held across the state."In a massive crackdown against child marriage, Assam Police has arrested over 800 accused persons in a special operation, which began in the early hours of dawn," Sarma said on X.He said the number of arrests in cases related to the social menace is likely to rise as the operation is still underway.On September 11, Sarma told the Assam Assembly that a total of 3,907 people were arrested in cases related to child marriages in the last five years, of whom 3,319 are facing charges under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (POCSO).In the first round of the state-wide crackdown conducted in February, the police arrested hundreds of people, including family members and clerics who were involved in officiating the unauthorised weddings.