Assam: Child Marriage Crackdown Creating Havoc Like Situation: High Court

GUWAHATI: Guwahati High Court has put forward varied questions regarding Assam’s latest crackdown against child marriage. It is worth mentioning here that, more than 3000 people have been nabbed in connection with child marriage and are currently inside the custody. 

The crackdown have rise to protest by hundreds of women who oppose their husband’s, son’s and father’s arrest. The actions of the police authorities have also been questioned, as the departments have pulled out cases which are dated way back. Apart from this, professionals have also raised the question regarding the POSCO act and its viability in child marriage cases.

"POCSO you can add anything. What is the POCSO [charge] here? Merely because POCSO is added, does it mean judges will not see what is there? We are not acquitting anyone here. No one is preventing you to probe," Justice Suman Shyam said.

Based on various cases, the High Court stated that, few matter do not require custodial interrogation, if the police views the case as guilty then it should carry on with filing a chargesheet. The HC further mentioned that, child marriage can never be considered and treated as something right in the society. 

But, the crackdown is creating a havoc like situation in the entire state as families including children and old people are getting indulged in it. The court will provide with its opinion but the question is whether all the individuals involved in the social evil should be put inside the jails, the court added. Amidst the child marriage crackdown in Assam, stories have come up where the drive has led to miserable deaths across the state. A 16 year old pregnant minor girl died while she was on the way to a hospital in Assam’s Bongaigaon district.

As per the reports, the family initially tried to make the girl deliver her baby inside their own residence. As a result, complications arose and her conditions deteriorated further. Later, she was rushed towards Chalantapara health centre. From there, the medical authorities recommended her to Bongaigaon hospital. Unfortunately, the teenager couldn’t bear the pain and lost her life during the process.

 Also Read: Guwahati HC Chief Justice To Take Oath In Raj Bhawan

Also Watch: