Guwahati: Police in the Barpeta district arrested nine people, including the bridegroom, relatives and uncle from a 15-year-old girl because they tried to marry her, strengthen the confidence that child marriage was still unusual in many small villages from the lower Assam.
district.
The police swung in action following a complaint submitted by BARPETA-based child rights activists, Rafiqul Islam.
However, the wedding ritual ended when the police team reached the place.
The girl was saved and sent home.
Kadam Afi, 25, The Bridegroom, Uncle Bride Nabur Uddin and Jasim Uddin, a Kazi by the profession who sold marriage, was arrested from a wedding in the village of Pub Chatla under the Sarthebari police station, about 30 km from the district headquarters.
The other arrested people were Jinnat Ali, Habibar Rahman, Chand Ali Gaher, Abdullah Ali, Sharif Ali and Naskar Ali.
“The marriage was seriously in a sharp violation of the ban on children’s wedding laws, 2006.
The case was listed under Section 9.10 and 11 of the Act and all that was accused of assisting in the execution, arrangement and settlement of marriage.
A court has sent them to 14-day trial detention, “said Sarthebari Police Sub-Inspector, Pranab Kumai Das.
He said that the girl studied in the 10th grade while the bride of the man was a laborer.
Rafiqul told TOI that during a pandemic, most of the marriages of children were not reported even though it was very common.
“Most marriages are kept secret and there will be a little in the police record.
The actual number is much higher than the number in the report.
I accept at least one marriage case a child one day is only a relative who will know.
Sometimes the social influence knows.
Kazi played a key role in falsifying The girl’s age.
Sometimes the girls are taken to places of relatives who are far away to hide their age, “Rafiqul, who worked in this field for the past years, said.
He said that the main reason behind such a marriage was poverty and lack of education.
“Many families like it believe that their faster boys are married, other members will be added to their families, which will contribute to family income, the least about the health of the minor mothers and their children,” Rafiqul added.
Chittapriyo Sadhu from Save the Children NGO said the Covid-19 pandemic had created an unprecedented situation.
“It resulted in an increase in poverty, hunger, school education disorder and lack of care and protection of children,” said Sadhu.