Indian Police Arrest 1,800 Men in Crackdown on Underage Marriage
Voice of America
03 Feb 2023, 21:06 GMT+10
GUWAHATI, INDIA - Police in Assam have arrested more than 1,800 men for marrying or arranging marriages to underage girls, launching what the eastern Indian state's chief minister said on Friday was the start of a sustained crackdown on the practice.
Police began the arrests Thursday night, and more were likely, including of people helping to register such marriages in temples and mosques, Himanta Biswa Sarma told Reuters.
'Child marriage is the primary reason behind child pregnancy, which in turn is responsible for high maternal and infant mortality rates,' he said.
Marriage under 18 is illegal in India, but the law is openly flouted.
The United Nations estimates that the country is home to the largest number of child brides in the world at around 223 million. Nearly 1.5 million underage girls get married there every year, U.N. children's agency UNICEF said in a 2020 report.
'From Muslims to Hindus, Christians, tribal people to those belonging to the tea garden communities [tribal tea garden workers], there are men from all faiths and communities who got arrested for this heinous social crime,' Sarma said.
The Assam government has registered cases related to child marriage against 4,004 people, he added.
Subscribe and Follow
Get a daily dose of The US News news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
News RELEASES
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to The US News.
More Information
43
℉
In aftermath of war in Iraq, perpetrators still not held accountable
In Warsaw last February, President Joe Biden condemned the lawless Russian invasion of Ukraine: "The idea that over 100,000 forces ...
Chinese aggression causes Japan, US, Philippines to begin security talks
TOKYO, Japan: Fears over intensifying Chinese military activity directed towards Taiwan could escalate into war have prompted Japan, the United ...
After opening ties with Beijing, Honduras tells Taiwan to leave
TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras: After Honduran President Xiomara Castro severed ties with Taiwan in favor of China to gain more investment and ...
Former President Trump to face criminal charges
NEW YORK, New York - A Manhattan grand jury has indicted Former U.S. President Donald Trump for his role in ...
Six young people dead in Tennessee freeway collision
MEMPHIS, Tennessee: Tennessee authorities are slowly releasing information about a weekend car crash on a freeway that killed six young ...
180 Rohingya Muslim refugees land boat in Indonesia's Aceh
JAKARTA, Indonesia: Officials from Indonesia's Aceh province said that more than 180 Rohingya Muslims landed this week by boat, in ...
Nasdaq Composite leads U.S. stock markets higher, gains 208 point
NEW YORK, New York - U.S. stocks finished the third quarter with a bang on Friday. Despite a volatile start, ...
Apple to disrupt fintech with 'Apple Pay Later' consumer service
CUPERTINO, California: In a move aimed at disrupting the fintech sector dominated by Affirm Holdings and Sweden's Klarna, this week ...
After business slowdown, Disney moves forward in firing 7,000 staff
BURBANK, California: Walt Disney has begun its planned lay off of 7,000 staff, which was announced earlier this year.A letter ...
China's 'Belt and Road' program has cost $240 billion, says study
NEW YORK CITY, New York: A study published this week reported that China spent $240 billion between 2008 and 2021 ...
Techs lead American stock markets higher
NEW YORK, New York - U.S. stocks posted a decent rally on Thursday with all the major indices making good ...
Brain implant company Neuralink weighs human trials
FREMONT, California: Neuralink, Elon Musk's brain implant company, has approached the Barrow Neurological Institute, one of the largest US neurosurgery ...
