Barpeta [Assam], August 12 (HornbillTV): Police arrested two people in a case of alleged child marriage in Assam’s Barpeta district on Thursday.

Reportedly, a minor was about to get married to a youth in Baghmara Char area in Barpeta district.

The police raided the venue where marriage was planned to be conducted on Thursday and arrested the bridegroom and his father. The accused were booked under sections of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006.

The accused were identified as Saibur Badshah (bridegroom) and Hussain Ali- his father.

The police said that they raided the place after receiving a complaint from the Village Defence Party (VDP).

Members of VDP informed us about the marriage and based on that information, we immediately raided the area and rescued the minor girl and apprehended the bridegroom and his father. We have produced them before the court and sent them to jail. A case has been registered in connection with it,” said Prakash Deka, a police officer.

Cases of child marriage in Assam are on the rise despite the strict measures taken by the government and police administration.

According to the State’s Social Welfare Department, 3,192 child marriages were recorded from the 2016-17 fiscal to the 2020-21 financial year.

As per the data, “74 child marriages were performed during 2016-17 followed by 448 during 2017-18 and 759 during 2018-19.

The child marriage figure jumped to 1,089 during 2019-20.