Assam: Teen kills self after wedding cancels, another woman threatens suicide amid child marriage crackdown

In Assam, the government's efforts to prevent child marriage has resulted in some unintended consequences. The crackdown on child marriage has caused distress for some child brides who have taken extreme measures to protect themselves and their families.

Teen dies by suicide after wedding cancels

In one case, a 17-year-old girl was so affected by her parents' decision to go back on their promise to allow her to marry the man she loved that she took her own life. The legal restrictions imposed by the government on child marriage forced her parents to change their decision.

In another incident, a 23-year-old woman threatened to commit suicide if her husband and father were not released after being arrested in a child marriage case. The woman claimed that she was an adult, having been born in 1999 and married in 2018. Despite her protests, her husband and father were taken to court and she collapsed.

The crackdown on child marriage has been ongoing for four days and has resulted in over 2,441 arrests, according to the Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Several arrests made all over Assam

According to the Assam police data, 139 people have been arrested in Biswanath, 126 in Dhubri, 120 in Baksa, 114 in Barpeta, 97 in Nagaon, 96 in Hojai, 94 in Kokrajhar, 87 in Bongaigaon, 79 in Karimganj, 76 in Hailakandi, 72 in Cachar, 72 in Goalpara district in cases related to child marriage.

Director General of Assam Police (DGP) GP Singh, while addressing a press conference on Friday, said that 4,074 cases related to child marriage have been registered at different police stations across the state.

Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma informed that the crackdown against child marriages in the state would continue in the coming days.